CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Responsibilities

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the (a) dates and (b) subjects were of his (i) public engagements and meetings and (ii) meetings with ministerial colleagues in (A) January, (B) February, (C) March, (D) April and (E) May 2011.

Jeremy Hunt: The lists of my meetings with outside interest groups are published quarterly on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website:
	http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/
	Meetings for the quarter ended March 2011 will be published in due course.
	Meetings between Ministers, many of which are informal and ad hoc, are not routinely logged.
	Information on public engagements could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Gambling

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 349-50W, on gambling, what financial provision his Department has made for research, education and treatment of problem gambling in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; and if he will estimate the likely funding for such activities from industry in each of those years.

John Penrose: Research, education and treatment into problem gambling are funded by the industry rather than the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Their funding target for 2011-12 is £7 million and the target for 2012-13 has not yet been set. Future funding targets are to be agreed in the autumn when the 2011-12 strategy is presented.

Government Art Collection

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what holdings of the Government Art Collection are on display in locations outside London.

Edward Vaizey: Details of the Government Art Collection's holdings outside London and within the UK will shortly be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. Until their recent closure, another 99 works of art were on display in various regional government offices.

Olympic Games 2012: Betting

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the London 2012 Olympic games of sports betting integrity breaches; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of arrangements to prevent such breaches in relation to those games.

Hugh Robertson: There are already established processes and protocols to identify and manage any risks or threats to sports betting integrity in Great Britain. Our present assessment, based on the experience of previous Olympic events, is that there is a relatively low risk of a major sports betting integrity issue occurring at the London 2012 games. The impact of any such incident could be significant so we do need to ensure that the UK is well prepared to respond to any concerns that arise. Officials from the department are already working with the Gambling Commission, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic games, licensed betting operators and the police to ensure effective preparations are made in advance of the 2012 games. I will be attending the IOC's meeting on betting integrity on 15 June having attended an initial meeting on this issue on 1 March 2011.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the (a) timetable and (b) schedule is of the forthcoming London 2012 Olympics safety and security testing exercise.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply.
	The Home Office along with the Government Olympic Executive, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic games, the Greater London Authority, Department for Transport and other partners are putting in place a programme of exercises to test the effectiveness, resilience and decision-making capability of key games-time structures and processes. The programme is being finalised and an announcement will be made in due course.

Sports: Betting

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what support his Department provides to national sports governing bodies to assist them in countering any threat to sporting integrity from sports betting.

Hugh Robertson: The sports' governing bodies have the primary responsibility for countering the threat to sporting integrity from sports betting. In line with the recommendations of the independent report by Rick Parry, the Sports Betting Group has been working on a number of measures to tackle sports betting integrity. This includes leading on the code of conduct and providing assistance to those sports governing bodies that require help in relation to the code.
	The Gambling Commission's Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) works closely with sports governing bodies to share information and intelligence about potentially corrupt betting activity involving sport.
	I am a member of the President of the IOC's working group on illegal and irregular betting and that group expects to bring forward proposals by the end of the year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Human Rights

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications made by asylum seekers under Article 8 of Schedule 1 of the Human Rights Act 1998 were upheld by the courts in each year since 2000.

Damian Green: holding answer 9 June 2011
	The information is not available. The United Kingdom Border Agency's Case Information Database does not record the specific reasons why an appeal is allowed and the requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of a large number of individual case files.
	A sample of 401 allowed asylum appeal determinations from across the UK for the period October to December 2010 was recently analysed and cross referenced with computer records. Of the 401, the Immigration Judge presiding over the case upheld the Article 8 claim made by asylum seekers in 33 cases (8.2%).
	Figures published in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly statistical summary Q1 2011 show that there were 3,040 asylum appeals determined in the period October to December 2010 of which 805 (26%) were allowed.

Community Policing

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken in response to the report by Baroness Newlove on Clear Vision for Safe and Active Communities published by her Department.

James Brokenshire: The Government are considering the recommendations made by Baroness Newlove and my Department will continue to work closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in helping the Government to take forward the ideas and suggestions in her report that relate to crime reduction and community safety. Baroness Newlove will continue her work as Government champion for active, safer communities within DCLG.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 240W, on departmental public expenditure, which stakeholders have made representations on the spending review settlement.

Damian Green: This information is not held centrally. Representations would have been received across the Home Office and its agencies on particular elements of the spending review settlement, and a full list of these and the stakeholders concerned could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We did carry out a specific consultation on the provisional police settlement, and received representations from Police Authority Chairs and Treasurers, Chief Constables, MPs and the Association of Police Authorities.

Departmental Responsibilities

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what strategic framework her Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period.

Damian Green: The strategic direction and framework of the Home Office during the spending review period is set by the Home Office Business Plan which is published on the Home Office website. The delivery of the Home Office Business Plan is supported internally through Agency, Group and Directorate business plans which are reviewed on a regular basis.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will instruct the UK Border Agency to review the effects of recent changes to the English language requirements for students under tier 4 of the points-based system.

Damian Green: The new, tighter requirements for English language for tier 4 students are expected to help eliminate abuse of the system by ensuring that only genuine students who are able to complete the course can come to the UK. The impact of the changes implemented on 21 April this year will be monitored and reviewed along with the other changes made following the tier 4 review.

Motor Vehicles: Theft

Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars were stolen by the car keys first being stolen by robbery or burglary in each police force area in 2009-10; and how many recorded offences there were of domestic burglaries and robberies in which a vehicle was taken in each police force area in 2009-10.

James Brokenshire: The existing police recorded crime offences contain the offence classifications of ‘burglary in a dwelling' and ‘robbery of business or personal property' but the items stolen in these offences cannot be separately identified.
	The Home Office commenced from April 2007 a separate ad hoc data collection on the number of robberies and domestic burglaries in which a vehicle is taken, as recorded by the police in England and Wales. This collection was made voluntary from April 2009 and only 20 of the 44 police forces in England and Wales provided data in 2009-10, which are provided in the table.
	To reduce burden on the police, a decision was made to cease this collection from April 2011.
	
		
			 Offences recorded by the police, by police force area in England and Wales, in 2009-10  (1) 
			 PFA Robberies in which a vehicle is taken Domestic burglaries in which a vehicle is taken 
			 Avon and Somerset n/a n/a 
			 Bedfordshire 29 178 
			 British Transport Police n/a n/a 
			 Cambridgeshire n/a n/a 
			 Cheshire n/a n/a 
			 Cleveland 6 133 
			 Cumbria 0 20 
			 Derbyshire n/a n/a 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5 71 
			 Dorset 0 39 
			 Durham n/a n/a 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 7 
			 Essex n/a n/a 
			 Gloucestershire n/a n/a 
			 Greater Manchester n/a n/a 
			 Gwent n/a n/a 
			 Hampshire 11 193 
			 Hertfordshire 13 436 
			 Humberside n/a n/a 
			 Kent 23 298 
			 Lancashire n/a n/a 
			 Leicestershire 30 298 
			 Lincolnshire n/a n/a 
			 London, City of 0 0 
			 Merseyside n/a n/a 
			 Metropolitan Police 936 3,430 
			 Norfolk 5 21 
			 North Wales 1 89 
			 North Yorkshire 2 336 
			 Northamptonshire n/a n/a 
			 Northumbria 15 321 
			 Nottinghamshire 42 530 
			 South Wales n/a n/a 
			 South Yorkshire n/a n/a 
			 Staffordshire n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk 1 19 
			 Surrey 7 183 
			 Sussex n/a n/a 
			 Thames Valley n/a n/a 
			 Warwickshire n/a n/a 
			 West Mercia n/a n/a 
			 West Midlands n/a n/a 
			 West Yorkshire 103 2,152 
			 Wiltshire n/a n/a 
			 Total 1,229 8,754 
			 n/a = No data available (1) Data were received from 20 of the 44 police forces in England and Wales after this specific data collection was made voluntary by the Home Office as from April 2009.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Rabbits

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps her Department has taken to improve the welfare of factory-farmed rabbits; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The welfare of farmed rabbits is protected by the general provisions in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, which have a specific schedule relating to rabbit welfare. Additionally, DEFRA has a welfare code for rabbits which provides good husbandry advice and which producers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with. Failure to comply with this code may be relied upon in prosecution cases.

Flooding: Hertfordshire

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to alleviate the risk of flooding along the River Colne in Hertfordshire.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has calculated that the costs of constructing flood walls adjacent to the River Colne at Colney Heath would be greater than the benefit of doing so. The Environment Agency is planning to meet St Albans district council and Hertfordshire county council to consider other options for managing flood risk in the area.

Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme beyond 2013.

Richard Benyon: The Waste Review published on 14 June stated that the Government are planning to end LATS after the 2012-13 scheme year.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of (a) Cuadrilla Resources and (b) the shale gas drilling industry on the future of shale gas exploration in the UK following the recent earth tremors in the Blackpool area.

Richard Benyon: Neither I nor the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has had any discussions with representatives of Cuadrilla Resources or the shale gas drilling industry on the future of shale gas exploration following the recent minor seismic activity. However, Environment Officers from the Environment Agency have had informal discussions with Cuadrilla regarding seismic activity during recent site visits.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equalities Act 2010

Lyn Brown: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has to implement section 78 of the Equalities Act 2010.

Theresa May: The Government are committed to working with business to develop a voluntary approach to gender pay reporting in the private and voluntary sector. While we work with business and others to ensure this approach is successful, we will not commence, amend or repeal section 78 of the Equality Act 2010.

Pay: Equal Opportunities

Lyn Brown: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of the effects of higher levels of private sector employment on the gender pay gap.

Theresa May: The causes of the pay gap are varied and include work histories, skills levels, the industries and occupations in which women and men work, and labour market conditions. The complex interaction between these factors means it is not possible to accurately forecast changes to the pay gap.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations: Finance

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department provided to each local authority for community cohesion projects in (a) 2011-12 and (b) each of the last three financial years. [Official Report, 29 June 2011, Vol. 530, c. 5MC.]

Andrew Stunell: Between 2008-09 and 2010-11 funding for cohesion projects was provided to local authorities via unringfenced Area Based Grant. In 2011-12, general unringfenced funding of £190.540 million was allocated to local authorities in England through Local Services Support Grant with the freedom to use it to meet locally identified priorities, including community cohesion.
	The following table shows funding allocation for cohesion projects for each local authority from 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	
		
			 Communities and Local Government Area Based Grant: Cohesion 
			 Local authority 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Amber Valley Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Arun District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Ashfield District Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Ashford Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Barking and Dagenham London Borough 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Basildon District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Bassetlaw District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 26,471 0 0 
			 Bexley London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Blackpool Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
		
	
	
		
			 Bolsover District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Boston Borough Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Bournemouth Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Breckland District Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Burnley Borough Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Carlisle City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Cherwell District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Cheshire East UA 0 48,529 57,353 
			 Cheshire West and Chester UA 0 48,529 57,353 
			 Chester-le-Street 26,471 0 0 
			 Corby Borough Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Craven District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Crawley Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Croydon London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Crewe and Nantwich 26,471 . 0 26,471 
			 Dartford Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Derwentside 49,412 0 0 
			 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Dover District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Durham County UA 0 320,293 378,529 
			 Ealing London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Easington 49,412 0 0 
			 East Staffordshire Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 26,471 0 0 
			 Erewash Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Fenland District Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Gosport Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Gravesham Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Great Yarmouth Borough Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Greenwich London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Halton Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
		
	
	
		
			 Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Harlow District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Hartlepool Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Hastings Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Havant Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Havering London Borough 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 County of Herefordshire District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Hertsmere Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Hillingdon London Borough 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Hounslow London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Huntingdonshire District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Hyndburn Borough Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Kingston Upon Hull City Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Kingston upon Thames Royal Borough 0 0 0 
			 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Lancaster City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Lincoln City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Liverpool City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Luton Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Mansfield District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Medway Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Mendip District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Middlesbrough Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Metropolitan District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Newham London Borough 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 North Lincolnshire Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Northampton Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Northumberland County UA 0 139,117 164,412 
			 Nottingham City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
		
	
	
		
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Oswestry 26,471 0 0 
			 Pendle Borough Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Peterborough City Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Plymouth City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Portsmouth City Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Redbridge London Borough 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Redditch Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Rossendale Borough Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Rushmoor Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Salford Metropolitan District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Scarborough Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Sedgefield 49,412 0 0 
			 Sedgemoor District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Selby District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Sheffield City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Shropshire County UA 26,471 97,058 114,706 
			 Slough Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 South Holland District Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 South Kesteven District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 South Somerset District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Southampton City Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Stoke-on-Trent City Council 95,294 174,706 206,471 
			 Sunderland City Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Swale Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Tamworth Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Telford and Wrekin Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Tendring District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Thanet District Council 72,353 132,647 156,765 
			 Thurrock Council 116,471 213,529 252,353 
			 Torbay Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
		
	
	
		
			 Tower Hamlets London Borough 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Waltham Forest London Borough 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Wansbeck. 49,412 0 0 
			 Watford Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Waveney District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Wiltshire County UA 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Woking Borough Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Worthing Borough Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Wycombe District Council 49,412 90,588 107,059 
			 Wyre Forest District Council 26,471 48,529 57,353 
			 Total 6,000,040 10,999,960 13,000,016

Derelict Land: Planning Permission

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers Natural England has to impose planning conditions on brownfield sites; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Natural England has no powers to impose conditions on planning consents as it does not determine planning applications. It does, however, have an important advisory role within the planning system and is a statutory consultee for development plans, environmental impact assessments, strategic environmental assessment and planning applications that are likely to impact upon its particular interests. In this capacity it may, where appropriate, seek to mitigate impacts on, or to enhance, the natural environment through the use of planning conditions.

EU Grants and Loans: North East England

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the European regional development fund was allocated to projects in the North East in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: The north-east received £318 million of the European regional development fund under the competitiveness strand.

EU Grants and Loans: North East England

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the European Regional Development Fund was allocated to projects in the North East in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: The total allocation to the north-east as a proportion of the total European Regional Development Fund for the England Competitiveness strand is 13%.
	The total allocation to the north-east as a proportion of the European Regional Development Fund Competitiveness and Convergence as a whole is 11%.

EU Grants and Loans: North East England

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the European Regional Development Fund allocated to the North East of England (a) has been allocated and (b) he expects to have been allocated by the end of the current funding round.

Bob Neill: 65% of the North East European Regional Development Fund allocation has been allocated to date.
	It is expected that 100% of the European Regional Development Fund allocated to the North East will be allocated by the end of the current funding period in 2013.

Fire Services

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many of the principal fire officers of the Cambridgeshire fire and rescue service have their main residence in Cambridgeshire;
	(2)  how much was spent on new equipment for Manea fire station under each category of cost in each of the last three years;
	(3)  on what date a firefighter was last recruited to Manea fire station;
	(4)  how much Cambridgeshire fire and rescue service has spent on legal fees for each type of work undertaken in each of the last three years; and which legal firms were employed in each such case;
	(5)  how many compromise agreements have been signed by Cambridgeshire fire and rescue service in each of the last three years; what the monetary value was of each such agreement; and how many included a confidentiality clause;
	(6)  for how many hours Manea fire station was unable to respond to calls or off the run due to a lack of (a) personnel and (b) skills in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally.

Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive scheme.

Bob Neill: The Government agrees with the conclusions of Sir Michael Lyons that the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive scheme was complex, unpredictable and not transparent. Instead, the Local Government Resource Review is considering proposals to allow local authorities to keep at least a proportion of their business rates. Such an approach could help set free many local councils from dependency on central Government funding and provide incentives, through the business rates system, for them to promote economic growth.
	The Local Authority Business Growth Incentive scheme ran for three years (2005-06 -2007-08), and then there was a break for a year, before it was established for a further two year period (2009-10 – 2010-11), although the second year payments were cancelled. In between the two schemes, the previous administration ran two consultations (October 2007 and August 2008) on how it might be reformed.

Non-domestic Rates

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to introduce a Business Increase Bonus scheme.

Bob Neill: The White Paper—“Local growth: realising every place’s potential”—confirmed that the Government would consider how to deliver better growth incentives in the business rates system, and sought views on the merits of a broader business rates retention model.
	The Local Government Resource Review is now considering options to allow local authorities to keep at least a proportion of their business rates and provide direct financial incentives for local authorities to promote economic growth. It will deliver proposals by July 2011.

Planning

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the (a) construction and (b) development industry of his policies on localism.

Andrew Stunell: There has been a sustained shortfall in housing development; the previous Government's model of top-down housing targets that imposed development on local authorities and local communities did not deliver the housing this country needs.
	This Government are committed to seeing a major upswing in housing to meet Britain's housing need and seeing more homes that people want in the places that people want them. We have put in place a package of reforms to get the industry moving again, including localist policies—such as transferring power from central Government to councils and local people, and replacing top down targets with fiscal incentives for local authorities to promote development—and other actions such as reductions in regulation on house-builders, and assistance to first time buyers.
	By promoting housing growth, these policies will have a positive impact upon the construction and development industry.
	I would note that house-building starts in England are up 22% in 2010-11, compared to 2009-10 (DCLG, House building: March Quarter 2011 England, 19 May 2011) and the value of new housing construction has risen by 23% (in constant price terms) over the same period (ONS, Ouput in the construction Industry, Q1 2011,13 May 2011).

Planning

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Neighbourhood Planning Front Runners have access to adequate professional expertise in the property sector.

Bob Neill: The Department has made available grants of £20,000 to each neighbourhood planning front runner. These grants may be spent in any way that the recipient council considers appropriate in connection with delivering its project and this may include procuring support from the property profession. In addition, the Department will shortly award grants totalling £3.2 million to four organisations to enable them to provide advice, guidance and other support to community groups and individuals wishing to engage with the planning system. That may include advice, guidance and other support derived from the property sector.

Planning

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he plans to provide to communities wishing to develop neighbourhood plans.

Bob Neill: We are working with the neighbourhood planning front runners and representative organisations on guidance that will help communities and local authorities with neighbourhood planning.

Regional Growth Fund

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many successful regional growth fund bids are eligible for match funding from the European regional development fund in the most recently announced funding round.

Bob Neill: One successful bid under round one of the regional growth fund indicated in the application that it had also bid for European regional development fund support. Other successful regional growth fund bids may also have been eligible for ERDF but did not indicate in the bid that they were also applying for ERDF support.

Social Rented Housing: Housing Occupancy

Louise Mensch: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of social homes which are under-occupied in (a) each local authority area, (b) each region and (c) England.

Grant Shapps: It is estimated that 423,000 households were under-occupied in the social rented sector in England in 2009-10. This estimate is a three year average based on data from the Survey of English Housing (2007-08) and the English Housing Survey (2008-09 and 2009-10). Households are said to be under-occupied if they have at least two bedrooms more than they need as measured by the bedroom standard.
	Regional estimates for 2009-10 are due to be published on 5 July 2011 in the English Housing Survey Household Report 2009-10.
	It is not possible to provide estimates at local authority level as sample sizes are too small.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's consultation on planning for Traveller sites, what plans he has to allow local authorities to establish pitch and plot allocation targets lower than those in local and regional plans;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's consultation on planning for Traveller sites, whether a risk assessment has been undertaken of the legal implications for local authorities of introducing new pitch and plot allocation targets lower than those in local and regional plans.

Bob Neill: The Government carried out an impact assessment to look at the likely costs and benefits of the policy, including those on local authorities. The Government do not anticipate that their new policy will result in any new burdens on local authorities.
	The Government's proposed policy asks local authorities to use a robust evidence base of local need to support their planning approach for traveller sites. The targets local authorities set will be tested independently on a case-by-case basis through consultation and examination in public of local plans. Those local authorities who have targets imposed on them by regional plans may, therefore, reduce their target if they have a robust evidence base to support this approach.
	The Localism Bill also proposes to abolish regional strategies and their associated top-down targets.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Police

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people of (a) Pashtun, (b) Tajik, (c) Hazaras and (d) Uzbek ethnicity there are in the Afghanistan National Security Force; what the ethnic composition is of (i) that force and (ii) the national population; and what steps he is taking to promote a nationally-representative Afghanistan National Security Force.

Alistair Burt: The following two tables illustrate the ethnic composition of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, alongside the approximate ethnic composition of Afghanistan's population.
	As I outlined in my response to the right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mr Alexander) on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 197W, the ethnic composition of the Afghan National Security Forces is broadly consistent with the Afghan population demographic, including in terms of Pashtun personnel. However, southern Pashtuns are under-represented in the army and the Afghan Ministry of Defence has—with the support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation training mission—developed a recruitment campaign intended to address this. The situation with regard to the police is similar, but with Tajiks statistically over-represented.
	
		
			 Afghan National Army, March 2011 
			 Percentage 
			 Ethnicity Afghanistan Afghan National Army 
			 Pashtun 42 42 
			 Tajik 27 34 
			 Hazara 9 12 
			 Uzbek 9 8 
			 Other 13 5 
		
	
	
		
			 Afghan National Police, May 2011 
			 Percentage 
			 Ethnicity Afghanistan Afghan National Army 
			 Pashtun 42 43 
			 Tajik 27 42 
			 Hazara 9 5 
			 Uzbek 9 5 
			 Other 13 5

Brazil: Mining

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Brazilian Government for the (a) removal of illegal miners from the Yanomami territory and (b) prohibition of any form of mining on Yanomami land.

Jeremy Browne: We regularly discuss human rights issues, including indigenous rights, with the Brazilian Government. I did so during my visit to Brazil last month.
	Under the Brazilian constitution indigenous people have clear rights, including the protection of their cultural heritage and rights to occupy and use their traditional lands. The Brazilian Government's National Foundation for Indians (FUNAI) monitors and supports indigenous people's interests, but recognises that further work needs to be done to protect indigenous rights and ensure effective implementation of these legal frameworks. We will continue to support the Brazilian Government's own efforts in this area, where appropriate.

Children: Human Rights

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations his Department has received on the application of human rights legislation to British children in EU member states (a) between January 2005 and April 2010 and (b) since May 2010.

Jeremy Browne: We do not hold the information the hon. Gentleman requests in this format as we do not keep a central record. The information would be available only at a disproportionate cost.

Crown Relocations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 584W, on Crown Relocations, how many other bids there were for the contract awarded to Crown Relocations his Department received.

David Lidington: The contract procurement was undertaken in 2004 following the legislated procurement process at that time. Five companies were invited to tender.

Crown Relocations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 584W, on Crown Relocations, on what date the contract with Crown Relocations (a) commenced and (b) expires; how many other companies bid for the contract; and how many items have been recorded as lost in transit by Crown Relocations since the commencement of the contract.

David Lidington: The contract with Crown Relocations commenced on 30 April 2004. At that time, five companies were invited to tender. An extension is in the process of being signed which will take the contract up to 30 April 2012. This will allow time for the current reprocurement activity to be completed.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on items lost in transit. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Serco

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department holds with Serco; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no contracts with Serco within the UK.
	As budgets in the FCO are devolved to over 260 posts overseas and details of their contracts are not held centrally, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

CABINET OFFICE

Efficiency Savings

Jake Berry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the efficiency savings achieved in 2011 to date.

Francis Maude: The controls we put in place in May last year have yielded savings of well over £3 billion in the short financial year that ended in March.
	For example, we have:
	Reduced spend on marketing and advertising by over 80%
	Saved £400 million through stopping low value projects
	Reduced our on-going property costs by over £90 million
	Generated £800 million of savings by renegotiating contracts with our biggest suppliers
	Saved over £850 million by new controls on hiring consultants
	These savings will enable Departments to protect front line service delivery and protect public sector jobs.

Voluntary Sector

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of regulation on the voluntary sector.

Nick Hurd: We are determined to reduce the red tape that prevents people from acting to improve their communities.
	I invited Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts to investigate the question ‘what stops us all giving more time and money to charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises’. Last month his taskforce made recommendations such as making it easier to be a volunteer driver. We are now working across Government to implement as many of the recommendations as possible.
	The Government have also set up a broader Red Tape Challenge.

Voluntary Sector

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of regulation on the voluntary sector.

Nick Hurd: We are determined to reduce the red tape that prevents people from acting to improve their communities.
	I invited Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts to investigate the question ‘what stops us all giving more time and money to charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises’. Last month his taskforce made recommendations such as making it easier to be a volunteer driver. We are now working across Government to implement as many of the recommendations as possible.
	The Government have also set up a broader Red Tape Challenge.

Charities: Mental Health

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate the proportion of income of charities in England that is received by mental health charities.

Nick Hurd: Data from the Civil Society Almanac, produced by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), show that UK charities received a total of £35.5 billion in income in 2007-08. Of this income, £3.4 billion was received by charities working in the health sector in the UK. Figures are not available from this source to determine the proportion of income for charities in England that is received by mental health charities.

Company Accounts

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many small businesses which would not otherwise produce quarterly accounts were asked to do so by the Office for National Statistics in the last 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the cost to those small businesses of preparing such reports.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many small businesses which would not otherwise produce quarterly accounts were asked to do so by the Office for National Statistics in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost to those small businesses of preparing such reports (59983).
	ONS does not require businesses to produce quarterly accounts. Our sample surveys require businesses to provide estimates of economic transactions. These do not require the production of quarterly accounts.

Departmental Billing

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many invoices his Department received in respect of goods or services supplied by tier 1 suppliers between 1 May 2010 and 1 April 2011; and how many of those invoices were not paid within the period specified in the Government's Fair Payment guidance;
	(2)  how many invoices the Prime Minister's Office received in respect of goods or services supplied by tier 1 suppliers between 1 May 2010 and 1 April 2011; and how many of those invoices were not paid within the period specified in the Government's Fair Payment guidance.

Francis Maude: For these purposes the Prime Minister’s Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested for Cabinet Office regarding the number of invoices received in respect of goods and services supplied for tier 1 suppliers between the time periods specified is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Information is available on the number of invoices received between 1 May 2010 and 1 April 2011, and the number not paid within the period as specified in line with Government policy.
	The following table shows the breakdown of payments for the period requested
	
		
			  Number Percentage 
			 Total payments made 17,756 — 
			 Payments made within 30 days 17,660 99.46 
			 Payments made within 10 days 16,998 95.73 
			 Payments made within 5 days 13,761 77.50 
		
	
	The Cabinet Office does not have any contracts to which the Government’s Fair Payment Guidance refers. Therefore no invoices have been received for these goods and services.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  under what budget headings and for what purposes the expenditure associated with transaction number (a) 3000014029, (b) 3000014121, (c) 3000014389 and (d) 3000014417 for January 2011 published on the Transparency website, was spent;
	(2)  under what budget headings and for what purposes the expenditure associated with transaction number (a) 3000014491, (b) 3000014634, (c) 3000014670, (d) 3000014777 and (e) 3000014951 for February 2011 published on the Transparency website, was spent;
	(3)  under what budget headings and for what purposes the expenditure associated with transaction number (a) 3000015192, (b) 3000015588, (c) 3000015699 and (d) 3000015859 for March 2011 published on the Transparency website was spent;
	(4)  how much was spent under each cost category in respect of transaction numbers (a) 3000013467, (b) 3000013581, (c) 300013749, (d) 3000013791 and (e) 3000013864 in December 2010 posted on the Transparency website and attributable to the Cabinet Office Central Department;
	(5)  how much was spent under each cost category in respect of transaction numbers (a) 3000012982, (b) 3000013043, (c) 300013058, (d) 3000013193, (e) 3000013225, (f) 3000013477 and (g) 3000013398 in November 2010 posted on the Transparency website and attributable to the Cabinet Office Central Department.

Francis Maude: holding answer 14 June 2011
	Details of how much was spent under each cost category and what the budget headings were can be found under the ‘expense type’ column of the CSV files for each month which can be found at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cabinet-office-spend-data

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Trade Unions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 376-7W, on trade unions, when he expects information to become available on (a) the number of staff of the Crown Prosecution Service entitled to work (i) full-time as trade union representatives and (ii) part-time on trade union activities, (b) the number of such staff paid more than £25,900 annually and (c) the cost to the public purse of employing such staff on such duties in 2010-11.

Edward Garnier: Data for the financial year April 2010-11 are currently being collected and the overall figures should be finalised within the next four weeks. I will write to my hon. Friend with the updated figures once they are available. The position for 2010-11 is however unlikely to have changed significantly from that of the previous year.

TREASURY

Arch Cru

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of initiating an investigation into the Financial Services Authority's role in relation to Arch Cru funds.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority is currently investigating the issues surrounding the suspension and winding up of the Arch Cru funds. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on an ongoing investigation by the independent regulator.

Banks: Pay

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with his EU counterparts to discuss disclosure by banks of the number of employees paid salary and bonuses of more than £1 million per year.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case, with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Construction Industry Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in the HM Revenue and Customs Construction Industry scheme enforcement unit in each year from 2005 to 2010.

David Gauke: Details of the number of staff employed in HM Revenue and Customs Construction Industry Teams are held only from April 2008.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent 
			 2008-09 526.19 
			 2009-10 474.67 
		
	
	In May 2010 the members of the Construction Industry Teams were integrated into mainstream teams in local compliance where they continue to carry out work on CIS enforcement.

Disadvantaged: Financial Services

Robert Buckland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has for future provision of money advice in respect of (a) coping with unemployment and (b) managing the transition back into work using benefits;
	(2)  what plans he has for future provision of money advice for (a) consumers and (b) small businesses;
	(3)  what plans he has for future provision of money advice in respect of (a) managing mortgage arrears and (b) preventing repossessions.

Mark Hoban: The Money Advice Service is an independent body, established in the Financial Services Act 2010 to promote understanding of the financial system and raise levels of financial capability across the UK. It offers free and impartial financial information and advice to members of the public nationally online, by telephone, and face-to-face.
	Its services cover the full spectrum of financial issues and include help and advice at key life stages, for example, for those starting work or facing redundancy. The Money Advice Service also directs individuals to more specialist help and advice where appropriate. For example, those in mortgage arrears who may risk losing their home may be directed to crisis debt advice.
	The Money Advice Service is aimed at consumers rather than businesses. Business Link is the support service in England which provides businesses with impartial information and advice, including on finances, to start and develop their business. It is available online and by telephone. The devolved Administrations have equivalent support services to Business Link, which in some cases, also includes additional face to face support. Under the aegis of the British Bankers' Association Business Finance Taskforce, the major UK banks have also committed to creating a website for businesses in which they can get impartial information about how to secure finance and the best options for their business. They are also developing a business mentoring scheme which will be rolled out in phases across the country this year.

Financial Markets

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to monitor the international derivatives market.

Mark Hoban: The UK Government are actively supporting the efforts to reduce systemic risk in derivatives through the measures announced in the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation. This includes supporting the obligation to require all derivative transactions to be reported to trade repositories.
	Within the UK the Bank of England's interim Financial Policy Committee also has a monitoring function as part of its systemic remit to protect and enhance the UK financial system.

Fuels: Prices

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the Energy Company Obligation on domestic fuel bills.

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply.
	An assessment of this issue will be included in the impact assessment which will be published in the autumn, alongside our consultation on the detailed design of the ECO policy.
	The effect ECO has on fuel bills will ultimately depend on the outcomes we require energy companies to deliver and how they choose to absorb or pass on costs.
	We expect competitive pressure between the energy companies to help keep costs down.

Income Tax

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what amount of taxable income comprised personal earnings above £150,000 in each month of each of the last 10 tax years;
	(2)  how much was collected in income tax on earnings above £150,000 (a) through pay as you earn, (b) through self-assessment and (c) overall in each month in each of the last 10 tax years.

David Gauke: The estimated amount of total income excluding savings and dividends above £150,000, after deductions and allowances, and the estimated income tax liability on this income, split between taxpayers on self assessment and pay as you earn only, is shown in the following table. The third column shows estimated total tax paid through SA and PAYE for taxpayers who are on SA and the fourth column shows estimated tax paid through PAYE for taxpayers who are on PAYE only.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Income (excluding savings and dividends)  (1) Income tax from taxpayers on self assessment Income tax from taxpayers on pay as you earn only 
			 2001-02 20,100 7,800 240 
			 2002-03 18,700 7,300 200 
			 2003-04 18,900 7,500 60 
			 2004-05 24.400 9,500 220 
			 2005-06 31,900 12,600 170 
			 2006-07 38,800 15,200 270 
			 2007-08 46,600 18,100 520 
			 Projected estimates based on 2007-08 data:    
			 2008-09(1) 48,100 18,700 530 
			 2009-10(1) 48,500 18,800 550 
			 2010-11 46,600 22,600 660 
			 (1) After deductions and allowances (including allowances as income tax reductions, e.g. married couples allowance). 
		
	
	The estimates for 2000-01 to 2007-08 are based on the Survey of personal incomes (SPI). For 2008-09 onwards tax return data is not available for analysis. Estimates in the table are based on the 2007-08 SPI using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook,
	The information is not available on a monthly basis.

Members: Correspondence

Alan Beith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the letters of 1 March 2011 and 21 April 2011 from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and FSA fees.

Mark Hoban: I wrote to all right hon. and hon. Members on 1 March 2011 to set out the Government's overall position on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This letter was in response to any outstanding correspondence that hon. Members may have raised.

National Insurance Contributions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate additional national insurance payments which would have been due in (a) employee and (b) employer contributions if the pensions contracting-out regime had not been in place in each year since 1990.

David Gauke: holding answer 24 May 2011
	Estimates of the additional national insurance contributions for 2000-01 to 2009-10 that would have been due if contracting-out from the state second pension had not been available are shown in the following table.
	Estimates for previous years are not available.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Employee contributions Employer contributions Total 
			 2000-01 3,100 6,000 9,100 
			 2001-02 3,200 6,200 9,400 
			 2002-03 3,200 7,700 10,900 
			 2003-04 3,100 7,500 10,600 
			 2004-05 2,800 6,800 9,600 
			 2005-06 2,800 6,600 9,400 
			 2006-07 2,700 6,300 9,000 
			 2007-08 2,700 6,900 9,600 
			 2008-09 2,800 7,100 9,900 
			 2009-10 2,700 6,900 9,600

Non-domestic Rates: Appeals

Louise Mensch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many appeals have been received by the Valuation Office Agency against national non-domestic rates valuations (a) in each of the last five years for which figures are available and (b) in 2011-12 to date;
	(2)  how many appeals against national non-domestic rate valuations were received by the Valuation Office Agency in relation to 2010 revaluations of non-domestic property in each local authority area in (a) each of the last three years and (b) 2011-12 to date;
	(3)  how many appeals against national non-domestic rate valuations were received by the Valuation Office Agency (a) in relation to the 2005 rating and (b) in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The following table details the number of proposals (appeals) to alter the rating list received by the Valuation Office Agency in relation to the 2000, 2005 and 2010 England and Wales rating lists, for each of the previous five financial years.
	
		
			 Proposals received with respect to compiled rating lists 
			 Financial year 2000  (1) 2005  (2) 2010  (3) Total 
			 2006-07 1,950 134,520 0 136,470 
			 2007-08 0 104,430 0 104,430 
			 2008-09 0 133,370 0 133,370 
			 2009-10 0 230,130 0 230,130 
			 2010-11 0 50,840 230,090 280,930 
			 2011-12(4) 0 1,080 12,540 13,620 
			 (1) Proposals to amend the 2.000 list could potentially be made up to six months after the list was closed on 1 April 2006. (2) Similarly proposals to amend the 2005 list can be potentially made until 1 October 2011. (3) The20l0 rating list came into operation on the 1 April 2010 therefore there are no proposals with respect to this list for earlier financial years (4 )1 April 2011 to 30 April 2011 
		
	
	Latest figures for the number of proposals (appeals) received by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in relation to the 2010 local rating list by local authority for the 2010-11 financial year were published on 12 May 2011 in Table 3.2 of the “Local Rating List: Challenges” publication on the VOA website in the following location:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/publications/statistical_releases/May-2011-local-rating/Challenges/Table%203.2.xls
	The 2010 rating list came into operation on the 1 April 2010 therefore there are no proposals (appeals) with respect to this list for earlier financial years. The number of Proposals (appeals) received by the VOA in relation to the 2010 rating list in 2011-12 financial year to date (30 April 2011) broken down by local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.

Overseas Companies: Payments

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to require UK-based oil, mining and gas companies to make annual reports on payments made to foreign Governments in exchange for access to natural resources; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), made clear following the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting in February 2011, the Government believe that development of new rules to require oil, gas and mining companies to report the payments they make to Governments should take place at the international level.
	The Government have committed to arguing for a European agreement that matches the new standards set in the US, and the UK will be engaging with EU partners on this issue.

Personal Taxation

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2011, Official Report, column 366W, on personal taxation, if he will estimate the difference in the personal taxation payable by an individual in each tax band attributable to indexation of personal tax allowance by (a) the consumer price index and (b) the retail prices index in each year from 2012-13 to 2015-16.

David Gauke: Budget 2011 announced that the personal allowance for those aged under 65 would increase by £630 from April 2012, taking it from £7,475 in 2011-12 to £8,105 in 2012-13. The Government will further increase the personal allowance to £10,000, making real term steps each year towards this as a longer term policy objectives.
	The following table shows hypothetical estimates of the maximum increase in income tax liability attributable to indexation of the personal allowance for those aged under 65 by CPI rather than RPI. Separate estimates are provided for basic rate, higher rate and additional rate taxpayers. This theoretical calculation assumes no increases above indexation (RPI and CPI) of the personal allowance from 2012-13. The estimates therefore do not consider the Budget 2011 announcement that the personal allowance will increase by £630 in 2012-13. Calculations assume income refers to employment income only.
	
		
			  Marginal tax rate 
			  Basic rate Higher rate Additional rate  (1) 
			 2012-13 £12 £0(1)-£24 £0 
			 2013-14 £32 £0(1)£64 £0 
			 2014-15 £56 £0(1)-£112 £0 
		
	
	
		
			 2015-16 £84 £0(1)-£168 £0 
			 (1) The personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 of income above £100,000. Therefore additional rate and some higher rate taxpayers will have a personal allowance of zero. 
		
	
	These estimates are based on the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 forecast assumptions for RPI and CPI.

Social Security Benefits: Expenditure

Angela Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the potential effect of the upward revision in claimant count unemployment shown on table 4.15 of the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook on social security benefit spending.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
	The figures are in the following table.
	
		
			 Effect of the change in the claimant count unemployment assumption between November 2010 and March 2011 
			  £ billion (nominal terms) 
			 2010-11 0.0 
			 2011-12 0.3 
			 2012-13 0.5 
			 2013-14 0.5 
			 2014-15 0.4 
			 2015-16 0.2 
		
	
	These figures are published in table 4.18 of the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Tax Avoidance: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised as a result of steps taken by HM Revenue and Customs in relation to tax avoidance in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 15 March 2011, Official Report, column 263W.
	Information on tax revenue in the UK is not collected by reference to its geographical source. Consequently it is not possible to allocate tax revenue to particular regions of the UK.

Taxation: Domicile

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of non-domiciled UK taxpayers who will pay the annual levy in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; [Official Report, 4 July 2011, Vol. 530, c. 11MC ]
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the change in the number of non-resident taxpayers between 2009 and 2010.

David Gauke: There is currently a £30,000 annual charge for non-domiciled individuals who have been resident for at least seven of the past nine years and wish to retain access to the remittance basis of taxation. In Budget 2011, the Government announced that it would consult on raising this charge to £50,000 for non-domiciled individuals who have been resident for at least 12 years with a view to implementing this change from the 2012-13 tax year. The number of individuals estimated to pay the annual charges of £30,000 and £50,000 are:
	
		
			 Estimated number of individuals paying the annual £30,000 or £50,000 charge 
			 Rounded 2011-12 2012-13 
			 £30,000 7,400 5,900 
			 £50,000 0 3,700 
			 Total 7,400 9,600 
		
	
	Those individuals liable to the charge but who choose not to pay it will instead be liable to UK taxation on their worldwide income and gains.
	The Government have no estimates for the change in the number of non-resident taxpayers between 2009 and 2010. Information relating to the tax year 2010-11, ending in April 2011, is not yet available.

Taxation: Foreign Investment in UK

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations from inward investors into the UK on the (a) clarity and (b) timeliness of tax advice from HM Revenue and Customs; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Government are committed to making the UK an attractive place to do business. HM Revenue and Customs provide assistance to non-UK resident inward investors through the Inward Investment Support service. This service gives clarity and certainty about the tax consequences of significant investments in the UK.
	Assistance is additionally provided through informal clearance arrangements as well as in situations permitted by statute such as Transfer Pricing and Advanced Pricing Agreements.
	Inward investors have said that HM Revenue and Customs are highly responsive and the services they offer have been well received.

VAT: Imports

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons he plans to reduce the threshold at which commercially imported goods are subject to value added tax from £18 to £15; and what estimate he has made of the revenue which will accrue to the Exchequer from this change.

David Gauke: The Low Value Consignment Relief threshold is being reduced from £18 to £15 from 1 November 2011 as a first step towards ending the increasing exploitation of this relief by companies choosing to sell to UK consumers from jurisdictions outside the EU, thereby eliminating the need to levy VAT on such sales.
	The yield generated by this measure is set out at row 38 of Table 2.1 of the main Budget 2011 document published on Budget day.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Travel

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on first class rail travel (a) in 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: In the year before the general election last May £75,573 was spent on first class rail travel. In the year since June 2010 the equivalent figure is £197.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with UNAIDS on its strategy to combat HIV/AIDS.

Stephen O'Brien: I met the UNAIDS executive director, Michel Sidibé, most recently on 13 May 2011 in Geneva. Our discussion covered his latest assessment of the HIV epidemic and UNAIDS’ strategy to combat HIV.
	Mr Sidibé will meet the Minister of State, Alan Duncan, on 27 June 2011, to discuss follow up to the Multilateral Aid Review and the recent 2011 high level meeting on UNAIDS.
	I also attended the UN high level meeting on HIV and AIDS in New York on 8 and 9 June. Full details of my visit can be found on the Department for International Development’s website at
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2011/30-years-of-HIV-Towards-zero-infections/.

Forests: Overseas Aid

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries his Department is funding reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation projects.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is supporting the early development of programmes aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in a range of countries. Most funding to date has been channelled through two funds managed by the World Bank, namely the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and the Forest Investment Programme (FIP).
	Under the FCPF the countries receiving support are: Argentina, Bolivia, Cameroon, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
	Under the FIP eight pilot countries are developing plans for larger scale investments aimed at reducing rates of deforestation. These countries are: Brazil, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Ghana, Peru, Burkina Faso and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
	Additionally, the UK has also providing dedicated support to the Congo Basin Forest Fund, which is funding projects in Central Africa, specifically, in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and Säo Tomé et Principe.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what planning the Stabilisation Unit in his Department has undertaken on post-conflict Libya.

Andrew Mitchell: The Stabilisation Unit (SU) is co-owned by the Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. Working closely with partners across Whitehall, the SU has undertaken a number of planning exercises to support the Government's preparedness for engagement on post-conflict Libya. Working to the Secretary of State for International Development, SU recently deployed a multi-national Stabilisation Response Team to Libya which will provide an assessment to inform UK and international support in the post-conflict period.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on securing adequate funding at international level for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Alan Duncan: Ireland, Finland, and Kuwait have all increased their annual average contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). UNRWA has also attracted additional contributions from the Islamic Development Bank and an increased commitment from Saudi Arabia, although it continues to seek further support from regional donors for its education and food funds. UNWRA has successfully formed partnerships with the private sector and has received an extra $2.3 million from the UN regular budget for international staff costs for 2011.
	This increase in donor support, however, has not reduced the projected shortfall of $63 million in UNRWA's general budget for 2011. We remain concerned about UNWRA's financial position and will continue to work with the agency, other donors and host countries to help put UNWRA's finances on a sustainable footing. The UK is UNRWA's second largest bilateral donor and is considered a model donor for providing long term support through our five year £110 million funding agreement. We plan to provide up to £23.5 million of unearmarked funding in 2011 to UNRWA's general fund.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what public subsidy his Department plans to provide for the production of biofuels in each of the next four financial years.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Energy and Climate Change provides financial support for the production of renewable energy for heat and power, including from bioliquids (biofuels for electricity and heat). For every megawatt hour of electricity generated, eligible bioliquids currently receive 1.5 renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) if they are combusted in a dedicated biomass plant, 0.5 ROCs if co-fired with fossil fuel and 2 ROCs if used in a dedicated biomass CHP plant or an advanced conversion technology such as pyrolysis. FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) biodiesel currently receives 1 ROC. The current ROC price is approximately £41.
	To receive support, electricity from bioliquids must meet the sustainability criteria set out in the renewables obligation from April 2011.
	A review of renewables obligation support for all technologies began in October last year and changes to the support level for bioliquids will be considered as part of this process. We will consult on proposed levels this summer and publish the Government response in late autumn. Banding changes will come into effect on 1 April 2013.
	Bioliquids are not eligible for support under the renewable heat incentive, but sustainably-produced bioliquids are being considered for inclusion from autumn 2012 following public consultation later this year.

Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the reporting of carbon consumption figures alongside production figures.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Nicholas Soames) on 9 June 2011, Official Report, column 482W.

Departmental Responsibilities

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what strategic framework his Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period.

Gregory Barker: Delivering on our energy and climate change commitments is vital if the UK is to transform the way that we generate and use energy, and drive ambitious action on climate change, in the UK and abroad. DECC's business plan sets out our core functions and strategic priorities, the steps we are taking to achieve them and the indicators which will show whether or not they are having the desired impact. Progress against the plan is regularly monitored internally and is set out in the structural reform plan monthly updates and the forthcoming quarterly data summary, to be published on our website.
	In delivering these high level plans, DECC works through a range of different delivery mechanisms and partners. DECC is constantly seeking to ensure that these mechanisms are effective and deliver best value for money and has recently conducted a review of the Department's delivery landscape and a review of the energy regulatory framework. Both of these can be found on the DECC website. The DECC Delivery Unit also plays an important role in tracking progress on delivery commitments and working with teams to test policies for their ‘deliverability' from conception through to implementation.

Electricity

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what account his plans for energy market reform will take of (a) Project TransmiT, (b) the review of market liquidity and (c) other Ofgem initiatives.

Charles Hendry: The Government will continue to work closely with Ofgem to ensure that the electricity market reforms, Project TransmiT, the review of market liquidity and Ofgem's wider work such as cash-out reform are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The Government consider that significant improvements in wholesale market liquidity are essential to ensure a competitive market and promote long-term security of supply and will help enable EMR to deliver efficient and cost-effective reforms.
	The details of the transmission charging arrangements being reviewed under Project TransmiT are outside the scope of the EMR, but we will need to work with Ofgem to ensure that the outcomes of both are complementary.

Energy: Research

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on energy research and development since 1981.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has spent the following amounts on energy research and development since it was created in October 2008. We do not have a record of spending by predecessor Departments.
	
		
			 Financial year £000 
			 2008-09 5,264 
			 2009-10 6,828 
			 2010-11 50,812 
		
	
	The expenditure in 2010-11 includes £48.3 million on front end engineering design work for the Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration project.

Energy: Research

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much of the funding his Department has allocated to energy research and development is to be spent on projects in (a) the UK and (b) the EU in 2011-12.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has allocated funding of £2,920,000 to energy research and development in 2011-12, all of which is to be spent on projects in the UK.

Fuel Poverty

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2011, Official Report, column 777W, on energy, whether the Independent Fuel Poverty Review has been asked to examine any extension of the data-sharing scheme with energy suppliers.

Gregory Barker: The Terms of Reference for the Independent Fuel Poverty Review being carried out by Professor John Hills stipulate that the review will consider fuel poverty from first principles; to determine the nature of the issues at its core, including the extent to which fuel poverty is distinct from poverty, and the detriment it causes. It will also, as appropriate, develop possible formulations for a future definition and any associated form of target which would best contribute, among other things, to developing practical solutions, particularly around identification and targeting of households, and measuring progress resulting from Government action.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b) greenhouse gas emissions have been attributable to the UK in each year since 1990.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 June 2011
	DECC published final estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990 to 2009 as national statistics on 1 February 2011. These can be found on the DECC website at the following link:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2009final/2009_final.aspx
	The following table shows both carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990-2009. Data are for the UK and the Crown Dependencies and exclude Overseas Territories.
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions Mt CO  2 Greenhouse gas emissions Mt CO  2  e 
			 1990 589.7 781.6 
			 1991 596.8 786.5 
			 1992 579.8 759.5 
			 1993 564.9 736.2 
			 1994 559.2 724.2 
			 1995 550.8 714.3 
			 1996 572.8 734.5 
			 1997 548.7 708.1 
			 1998 551.6 703.5 
			 1999 542.3 671.6 
			 2000 549.4 672.0 
			 2001 561.3 675.7 
			 2002 543.7 653.7 
			 2003 553.4 657.6 
			 2004 552.6 654.4 
			 2005 549.7 649.4 
			 2006 546.3 642.9 
			 2007 537.8 632.2 
			 2008 525.1 617.7 
			 2009 473.7 563.6

Low Carbon Innovation Fund

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what process he plans to follow in determining the allocation of funding for the low carbon innovation fund announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Gregory Barker: The spending review allocated over £200 million to support low carbon technologies, of which up to £60 million will fund offshore wind manufacturing investment at port sites. In order to target the remaining resource, a series of technology innovation needs assessments (TINAs) has been undertaken (and more are planned) to provide a robust evidence base on the innovation needs of the technology families most likely to be important in achieving our climate targets and delivering benefits to the UK’s economy.
	Drawing on TINAs and other evidence, my Department is reviewing the financial needs of a range of innovative technologies and is developing programme plans, in conjunction with others, to be implemented over the next four years. I expect to announce the first allocation of funding within the next two months, and officials will then work closely with external stakeholders to finalise the design of these first interventions. Announcements on further allocations are expected to follow in the second half of this year.

Members: Correspondence

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 January 2011 and reminder letter of 23 March 2011 from the hon. Member for Vale of Clwyd.

Gregory Barker: We made an extensive search but, unfortunately, we have no record of receiving either of these letters. We are grateful to your office for providing a copy letter (received on 8 June) which we will ensure is answered urgently.
	I am very sorry for the delay. All your other letters addressed to Ministers since June 2010 have been responded to within the Whitehall target of 15 working days.

Microgeneration

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has plans to require domestic installers of microgeneration technologies to provide potential users with typical years to (a) energy and (b) carbon breakeven information.

Gregory Barker: The Microgeneration Certification scheme already requires installers to predict, using common methodologies, the likely performance of the installation. The prediction relates to annual performance, from which energy and carbon savings and years to breakeven can be calculated. More complex information could be mandated, but in considering any future development of the requirements, we would need to strike the right balance between quality assurance for consumers and placing additional requirements on industry.

Nuclear Power Stations: Accidents

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what responsibility the Government have to (a) act as an insurer for and (b) cover all costs relating to a nuclear accident in the UK.

Charles Hendry: The Nuclear Installations Act 1965 imposes third party liabilities on nuclear operators, and also requires operators to cover these liabilities “by insurance or by some other means”. There is no legal responsibility on the Government to act as an insurer for the operators' nuclear third party liabilities.
	In the recent consultation on implementing changes to the Paris convention on third party nuclear liability and the Brussels supplementary convention, the Government set out its proposals for significantly increasing the scale and scope of operators' third party liabilities. Although it appears that commercial insurance will be available to cover most of the new liabilities, there is doubt about whether such insurance (or other commercial cover) will be able to cover all of the liabilities. In the circumstances, the Government also set out its proposal to make provision to enable it to provide cover in return for a charge where cover is not available on the commercial market. The alternative would be not to impose on the operator the liabilities for which commercial cover is not available and for these liabilities to remain with the taxpayer.
	The responsibility of Government following a nuclear accident will vary depending on the nature and scale of the accident. The position with third party liability costs is that under the current Conventions operators' liability is capped. The costs above this would have to be met from public funds up to the limit set under the convention, above this Government and Parliament would have discretion to meet further claims.
	The costs of a nuclear accident are not just limited to third party liability. In the event that the accident led to the permanent closure of the site, then the operator of a nuclear power station is responsible for ensuring that the site is decommissioned and remediated in accordance with relevant legal and licensing requirements.
	For the existing Magnox stations this responsibility sits with the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency and therefore the Government. With regard to the existing AGR stations and the PWR at Sizewell B, which are operated by British Energy, part of EDF Energy, decommissioning and clean up costs will be met by the Nuclear Liabilities Fund. The Government announced at the time of British Energy's restructuring in 2009 that it would fund qualifying liabilities to the extent that they exceed all the assets of the Fund. With regard to any new nuclear power stations it is the Government's policy that operators must have arrangements in place to meet the full costs of decommissioning and their full share of waste management and disposal costs. The Energy Act 2008 requires prospective operators of any new nuclear power stations to have a Funded Decommissioning programme, approved by the Secretary of State, in place before construction begins and to comply with this programme thereafter.

Nuclear Power Stations: Accidents

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what liability the Government have to cover the costs of a nuclear accident exceeding £1 billion; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The UK is a signatory to the Paris convention on nuclear third party liability and the Brussels supplementary convention. Under the conventions third party liability for operators is capped and in the UK, under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, is currently £140 million. If compensation claims exceed £140 million, the Government would be obliged to top-up the total amount available for compensation to 300 million Special Drawing Rights (about £300 million) (although it would be able to claim back contributions from the other countries that are party to the Brussels convention) . Above this, Government and Parliament have statutory discretion to pay compensation to meet outstanding claims. In a recent consultation the Government proposed increasing the operator liability level from £140 million to €1.2 billion, which is €500 million more than the minimum required by the Paris convention. If compensation claims exceed €1.2 billion, a further €300 million must be made available by the Government although, as now, it will be able to claim back contributions from the other countries that are party to the Brussels convention. Above €1.5 billion Government and Parliament have statutory discretion to meet any third party claims.
	The costs of a nuclear accident are not just limited to third party liability and will depend on the nature of the accident. In the event that the accident led to the permanent closure of the site, then the operator of a nuclear power station is responsible for ensuring that the site is decommissioned and remediated in accordance with relevant legal and licensing requirements.
	For the existing Magnox stations this responsibility sits with the NDA and therefore the Government. With regard to the existing AGR stations and the PWR at Sizewell B, which are operated by British Energy, part of EDF Energy, decommissioning and clean up costs will be met by the Nuclear Liabilities Fund. The Government announced at the time of British Energy's restructuring in 2009 that it would fund qualifying liabilities to the extent that they exceed all the assets of the Fund. With regard to any new nuclear power stations it is the Government's policy that operators must have arrangements in place to meet the full costs of decommissioning and their full share of waste management and disposal costs. The Energy Act 2008 requires prospective operators of any new nuclear power stations to have a Funded Decommissioning programme, approved by the Secretary of State, in place before construction begins and to comply with this programme thereafter.

Nuclear Power: Liability

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what legal advice he has (a) sought and (b) received on the increase of nuclear operator liability to over £1 billion.

Charles Hendry: The Department issued a consultation on the implementation of the changes to the Paris and Brussels conventions on nuclear third party liability which ran from 24 January to 28 April 2011:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/paris_brussels/paris_brussels.aspx
	The consultation set out our proposal to set operator liability at €1.2 billion, which is €500 million more than the minimum required under the conventions. As described in the consultation document, this is one of a range of options that would ensure we comply with the conventions.

Water Power

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider the merits of raising the level of revenue support for marine renewables in order to ensure the technology can be developed on a commercial scale.

Gregory Barker: A banding review of renewables obligation support for all technologies is currently under way and any change to the support for marine energy will be considered as part of this process. Banding reviews ensure that as market conditions and innovation within sectors change and evolve, developers continue to receive the appropriate level of support necessary to maintaining investment in the renewables industry.
	We will be consulting on proposed bands this summer, with the Government response in autumn 2011.

Water Power

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the renewables obligation he expects to support wave and tidal energy.

Gregory Barker: A banding review of RO support for all technologies is currently underway and any change to the support for wave and tidal energy will be considered as part of this process. Banding reviews ensure that as market conditions and innovation within sectors change and evolve, developers continue to receive the appropriate level of support necessary to maintaining investment in the renewables industry.
	We will be consulting on proposed bands this summer, with the Government response in autumn 2011.

Water Power

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to decide the proportion of the Low Carbon Innovation Fund to be allocated to marine energy.

Gregory Barker: We are currently reviewing the needs of a range of innovation technologies and developing programme plans in conjunction with others. I expect to announce the first allocation of funding within the next two months.

Water Power

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to provide revenue support for marine energy in the forthcoming review of the Renewables Obligation.

Gregory Barker: A banding review of RO support for all technologies is currently underway and any change to the support for marine energy will be considered as part of this process. Banding reviews ensure that as market conditions and innovation within sectors change and evolve, developers continue to receive the appropriate level of support necessary to maintaining investment in the renewables industry.
	We will be consulting on proposed bands this summer, with the Government Response in autumn 2011

Water Power

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on revenue and capital support for wave and tidal technology.

Gregory Barker: There has not been any discussions on revenue or capital support at ministerial level with either HM Treasury or BIS. However, officials are in discussions with these Departments as part of the development of the UK Marine Energy Programme, the Banding Review of RO Support and the allocation of the £200 million for the development of low carbon technologies announced in the spending review.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos: EU Law

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to transpose into domestic law Article 3 (3)(a) of EU Directive 2009/148/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to asbestos at work; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: In April 2011, the Government responded to a reasoned opinion issued by the European Commission that the UK had not fully implemented Article 3 of Directive 2003/18/EC on the protection of workers from asbestos. The Government's response accepted the reasoned opinion. A public consultation on the proposed legislative changes will be held shortly.

Departmental Manpower

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) task forces and (b) units operate in his Department; what the annual budget is of each; and how many staff each unit employs at each grade.

Chris Grayling: The Department currently has no task forces as defined in the Cabinet Office's “Categories of Public Bodies” guidance. However, details of other ad-hoc type groups are listed as follows. These groups do not employ any staff, however the Department supports these groups by providing the following resources:
	
		
			 Ad-hoc Group Departmental resources provided Financial allocation for 2011-12 (£) 
			 DWP Provision Forum Chair—1 x SCS (2 days per year) (1)(, 3)0 
		
	
	
		
			  Secretariat—1 x EO (8 days per year) (3)— 
			    
			 Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study Data Access Ethics Committee Chair—1 x SCS (3 days per year) (2)(, 3)6,000 
			  Members—2 x Band G (5 days per year each) (3)— 
			  Secretariat—1 x Band F (0.05 of whole-time equivalent), 1 x Band D (0.25 of whole-time equivalent) (3)— 
			    
			 Health, Work and Well-being National Stakeholder Council Secretariat Support only—1 x Band C (2 days per year) (1)0 
			    
			 Ethnic Minority Advisory Group Secretariat Support only—Unable to provide a breakdown of time spent on secretariat support (1)0 
			 (1) No dedicated budget. (2) This represents the expenses and fees that the independent members are entitled to. (3) Indicates brace. 
		
	
	The information on businesses units represents the most detailed breakdown available from centrally held records.
	The Department's organisational architecture comprises business units designed to deliver: departmental-wide strategy and planning; strategies and policies to meet the needs of particular customer groups; direct delivery of services to customers; and delivery of departmental-wide shared services. Within each of these business units specific responsibilities fall to functions designated as directorates and divisions.
	Also within these business units there are smaller business functions that are described as units but data is not held centrally on their functions, budgets or staffing and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The information available is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			 DWP staffing by business and grade as at 31 March 2011 
			 DWP business AA/AO EO HEO SEO Gde7 Gde6 SCS Total 
			 Jobcentre Plus 36,693 30,090 4,510 1,091 372 141 39 72,939 
			 Pension Disability and Carers Service 7,765 4,212 685 289 109 59 19 13,139 
			 Shared Services 2,801 759 274 128 65 19 10 4,057 
			 Welfare and Wellbeing Group 51 104 187 117 132 41 32 667 
			 Employment Group 73 125 278 132 123 37 20 787 
			 Group Finance 81 475 453 316 170 82 29 1,608 
			 Human Resources 37 160 323 151 115 27 16 833 
			 Corporate IT 65 1,034 309 189 165 111 28 1,903 
			 Strategy Information and Pensions 44 136 214 107 134 38 19 696 
			 Legal Group 96 102 64 22 97 81 24 487 
			 Private Office 10 12 18 0 10 1 4 55 
			 Communications 16 117 119 63 33 6 8 363 
			 Independent Review Service 31 13 47 4 1 0 1 97 
		
	
	
		
			 Change Directorate 10 87 110 69 38 15 4 333 
			 DWP Total 47,774 37,426 7,590 2,678 1,564 658 252 97,963 
			 Notes:  1. Figures are Full Time Equivalent (FTE) 2. Figures may not sum due to FTE rounding and the exclusion of a small number of cases where the grade was not held on the pay record at the time the data was extracted. 
		
	
	
		
			 Departmental resource allocations for 2011-12 
			 Business unit Resource budget 2011-12 (£ million) 
			 Jobcentre Plus 2,868 
			 Pensions, Disability and Carers Service 563 
			 Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission 545 
			 Health and Safety Executive 198 
			 Employment Group 1,114 
			 Welfare and Wellbeing Group 1,004 
			 Group Finance 411 
			 Human Resources 98 
			 Corporate IT 553 
			 Shared Services (1)— 
			 Other corporate units, including departmental unallocated provision 446 
			 Total 7,800 
			 (1) Shared Services is funded by the charges it makes to the Government Departments using its services. The costs of those services provided to DWP are met from the budget allocations held by Human Resources and Group Finance Directorate. Source: Internal resource allocation records

Departmental Renewable Energy

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many buildings (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department have had renewable energy equipment installed to provide power in the last 12 months; and what type of equipment was installed in each such case.

Chris Grayling: Because of the length of the pay-back period for renewable technologies, no such equipment has been installed in the last 12 months. The Department and its PFI estate partner have concentrated on reducing consumption and improving efficiency.
	However, a Salix funded combined heat and power (CHP) plant was installed at the Department's Quarry House headquarters building in Leeds at the end of 2010. Although this is not strictly renewable as it is fuelled by natural gas it is classified as ‘sustainable' technology. Initial indications are that performance is exceeding the estimated saving of £90,000 and 428tCO2 a year.
	In addition, Callendar Park Falkirk, a Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission building constructed in 2009, has three large solar panels which provide the site with hot water.

Employment and Support Allowance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will not receive employment and support allowance as a result of a gap in provision between the closure of Pathways to Work in April 2011 and the commencement of the work programme in June 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Our top priority has always been to ensure that customers are properly supported during the transition to the Work Programme
	Pathways to Work contracts ended on 27 April 2011. Since then, every customer eligible for employment and support allowance (ESA) has continued to receive benefit and will continue to do so, unless their circumstances change. no customer has had, or will have, their employment and support allowance stopped as a result of the Work Programme transitional arrangements.
	Employment and support allowance customers are also being supported by the new flexible Jobcentre Plus offer, introduced in April, until the Work Programme is implemented in their area. Following implementation, customers will be able to access the Work Programme on a voluntary or mandatory basis from after their work capability assessment, depending on their circumstances.

Housing Benefit: Birmingham

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed change to the shared accommodation rate of housing benefit on people in Birmingham.

Steve Webb: The information requested can be found in the Equality Impact Assessment of the increase to the Shared Accommodation Rate age threshold, available on the DWP website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf

Industrial Health and Safety: Heating

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance the Health and Safety Executive issues on (a) workplace temperatures which are not considered reasonable and (b) temperatures at which control measures to manage heat must be put in place.

Chris Grayling: There is guidance available on the HSE website covering a range of issues relating to temperature, including thermal comfort, cold stress, heat stress, outdoor working and workplace temperatures. The information also includes guides for managers and for workers and gives advice on conducting a risk assessment and actions that may be taken to address identified risks. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Approved Code of Practice recommends a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius). The guidance does not stipulate a specific temperature at which control measures should be put in place to manage high temperatures.

Industrial Health and Safety: Heating

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the long-term and short-term physical and psychological effects of persistent exposure to high temperatures.

Chris Grayling: In 2009 the HSE commissioned an independent review into workplace temperatures, which drew on the wide range of non-Government research available. Following this review the HSE conducted a survey about temperatures in workplaces, to which 2,933 completed responses were submitted. Evaluation of this and other data provided little evidence of significant numbers of illnesses, long or short term, physical or psychological, caused or exacerbated by exposure to high temperatures.

Industrial Health and Safety: Homicide

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions for corporate manslaughter have been brought by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 2005.

Chris Grayling: The offence of corporate manslaughter was introduced in the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. Since then there has been one prosecution which was taken by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2010-11 and this resulted in a conviction for corporate manslaughter.
	The police investigate suspected cases of corporate manslaughter/homicide and prosecution decisions are made by the Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Scotland) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (Northern Ireland). In these cases there is a joint approach to work-related deaths between the Health and Safety Executive and all the relevant regulatory authorities.

Jobcentre Plus: Redundancy

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any Jobcentre Plus staff will be made compulsorily redundant during the comprehensive spending review period.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Darra Singh
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking whether any Jobcentre Plus staff will be made compulsorily redundant during the Comprehensive Spending Review period. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Spending Review 2010 announced that DWP would deliver 26% savings in real terms from its core budget over the four year period to 2015. Jobcentre Plus will contribute to these savings by driving up efficiency in the way it works through more use of its online services and implementing ideas that help improve processes and productivity. Where this results in the need to reduce jobs we will do this through normal turnover where possible. If people become surplus we will seek to redeploy them within DWP or the wider Civil Service.
	Compulsory redundancies will always be the last resort and voluntary redundancy will always be offered first.

Mental Health

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what qualifications are required of mental function champions based in each medical examination centre; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Mental function champions are required to have post qualification clinical experience in the field of mental health. There is no requirement for them to have postgraduate mental health qualifications in addition to their primary qualifications.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the coherence of policy across different Government Departments in the administration of health and welfare benefits.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for welfare and employment issues and we have developed a coherent strategy to address poverty and to support the most vulnerable, helping people break the cycle of benefit dependency. A crucial part of this is to ensure that people are not written off to a lifetime on benefits because they have a health condition or disability. Many people with health conditions are able to sustain and progress in employment. The Department therefore needs to ensure that people currently receiving incapacity benefits are supported in preparing for a return to work where some form of employment is a possibility.
	The reassessment of old-style incapacity benefits claimants is a key part of our agenda to create and deliver a 21(st) century welfare system by ensuring that those people who can work are given the correct support to do so.
	Through the groundbreaking Work Programme we are giving those in the private and voluntary sector the freedom to design tailor-made back to work support built around the needs of the individual. The referral process is designed to give harder-to-help groups on benefits access to the programme at the appropriate stage in their claim. Once on the programme, advisers will devise tailored back to work plans for each claimant, taking in to account their circumstances.
	In addition, we are currently taking through Parliament the Welfare Reform Bill which makes widespread reforms to the welfare system. An underlying principle of our reforms is to provide a more joined-up service, which is easier and more transparent for claimants to navigate their way through in order to receive personal financial support. Most notably, Universal Credit will provide a new single system of means-tested support for working-age people in and out of work. Support for housing costs, children and child care costs will be integrated in the new benefit. It will also provide additions for disabled people and carers.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with trade unions regarding women who will see their state pension age increased by one year or more as a result of the proposed change in the state pension age for women; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Prior to the introduction of the Pensions Bill into the House of Lords, the Minister for Welfare Reform, the noble Lord Freud, had meetings with a number of stakeholder organisations including representatives from Trade Unions to discuss our proposals.

Unemployed People: Public Transport

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 499-500W, on travel to interview, what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of the Flexible Support Fund.

Chris Grayling: Advisers within Jobcentre Plus will use the flexibility afforded to them to ensure that claimants are given the right level of support at the right point in their journey towards employment. They will do so by drawing down from a flexible menu of support options which has been developed based on individual and local labour market need, and the Flexible Support Fund is part of this broader menu.
	Internal guidance has been developed to help Jobcentre Plus staff decide whether Flexible Support Fund assistance is likely to be beneficial for claimants.
	The primary communication strategy is to ensure advisers have the right guidance and support, supplemented by public information, to raise awareness of the offer among customers. Evidence tells us that Jobcentre Plus advisers are one of our most trusted and effective channels of communication. A key part of their role is to help people find work by explaining the integrated package of employment support and encouraging active participation. We are also developing a range of stakeholder communications to increase awareness among our partners and customer representative groups, and building on existing content on the Directgov website to ensure customers understand how flexibility works for them.

Work Capability Assessment

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish the second independent review by Professor Harrington on the work capability assessment in relation to fluctuating conditions.

Chris Grayling: We expect Professor Harrington to publish the second independent review of the WCA in the autumn. On 7 June 2010, Professor Harrington published an interim report, which can be viewed at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-review-interim-report-may-2011.pdf

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Health

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration is given to the timing of work capability assessments at appropriate points during a cycle of medication of a person with a mental health condition; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Atos healthcare professionals provide advice to Jobcentre Plus decision makers on when a customer is likely to be able to return to work. Treatment, including any medication that the customer is taking is one of the factors that the healthcare professional takes into account when providing this advice. Decision makers use the advice from the healthcare professional, in addition to all the other available evidence, when deciding when to refer the customer back to Atos for reassessment.

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Health

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many appeals against work capability assessments made on the basis of mental health needs were upheld at tribunal in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many appeals against work capability assessments have been made on grounds of mental health conditions in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: There were 50,100 appeals heard against the Fit for Work decision for new employment and support allowance (ESA) claims made up to the end of February 2010, where the primary condition was classed as Mental and Behavioural Disorders. Of the appeals heard over this period 28,900 (58%) were upheld in favour of DWP.
	The data presented above come from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data from the Tribunals Service.
	Data on appeals heard are published for new ESA claims starting between October 2008, when ESA was introduced, and up to the. end of February 2010 (the latest month where there are sufficient volumes of appeals heard). Appeals are included in the figures only where the person claiming has been found Fit for Work, they have subsequently appealed against the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by the Tribunals Service. Figures are available only for appeals that have been completed and not those that are currently under way.
	Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. As a result these figures should continue to be treated as emerging findings and not final at this stage.

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Health

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many questions asked during the course of a work capability assessment relate to mental health conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: An Atos healthcare professional should carry out a mental function assessment in all cases where the customer has a condition that affects mental, cognitive or intellectual function.
	There is no standard set of questions. The number and type of questions that the healthcare professional asks as part of the mental function assessment will vary from person to person according to nature and severity of the underlying mental health condition(s).

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Departmental Pensions

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of his Department's budget he expects to be spent on staff pensions in each of the next five years.

Edward Davey: Pension benefits for staff are provided through arrangements under the Principal Civil Service Pension scheme. Therefore, the budget for the Department does not include expenditure for paying pensions.
	Details of the level of social security and other employer contributions that fall to the Department are published annually within our resource accounts which are available on the Department's website. Information on costs for the last financial year (2010-11) is expected to be available in July 2011.
	The proportion of the Department's budget to be spent on employer contributions in each of the next five years will be determined by whatever changes are agreed to the Principal Civil Service scheme following the recommendations in the Hutton review. However, the Department estimates that it will spend less than 1% of its overall budget on such contributions in each of the next four years. No estimate has been made for 2015-16 as this is outside the current spending review period.

Local Government Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much each local authority received from each (a) revenue and (b) capital funding stream from his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; how much funding his Department allocated from each such stream in each year; and what the change was in the level of funding in each such stream between those years in (A) cash and (B) real terms.

Edward Davey: The following table shows the programme (revenue) funding payments made by the Department direct to local authorities in 2010/11 and the amounts that have been allocated to local authorities so far in 2011/12. No direct capital funding was made in 2010/11 or allocated in 2011/12. The differences between the amounts paid and the amounts allocated are shown in cash terms.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Authority Paid in 2010/11 Allocated in 2011/12 Difference 
			 Birmingham City Council 1,735,590 3,716,789 1,981,199 
			 Bristol City Council 807,145 250,991 -556,154 
			 Cardiff County Council 765,827 653,625 -112,202 
		
	
	
		
			 City of York Council 249,866 249,866 0 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 7,837 — -7,837 
			 Glasgow City Council 440,705 475,250 34,545 
			 Hertfordshire County Council 9,000 — -9,000 
			 Liverpool City Council 135,743 275,217 139,474 
			 London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames 10,175 — -10,175 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 708,010 — -708,010 
			 Newport City Council 281,405 253,645 -27,760 
			 North Lanarkshire Council 163,030 270,594 107,564 
			 North Yorkshire County Council 22,653 — -22,653 
			 Nottingham City Council 458,387 — -458,387 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council 169,153 248,622 79,469 
			 Powys County Council 441 — -441 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 673,179 225,361 -447,818 
			 Slough Borough Council 9,000 — -9,000 
			 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 272,199 274,709 2,510

Postal Services: Crime

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether potential postal offences reported to Royal Mail by members of the public are routinely passed on to the police; how many such offences were reported by Post Office Ltd and Royal Mail in the last 12 months; what mechanism is in place to enable customers to report potential postal offences; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: These are operational matters for the company.
	I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene, to respond directly to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Students: Counselling

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what legal obligations apply to higher education providers in relation to the emotional wellbeing of their students through the provision of pastoral care services.

David Willetts: It is a long-established principle that universities have a duty of care to their students. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under no legal obligations in relation to the emotional wellbeing of their students but they do have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to support disabled students in higher education, including those with mental health conditions. HEIs themselves will determine what welfare and counselling services they need to provide to their students to offer appropriate support.
	Institutions have access to guidance on supporting students and staff with mental health conditions from a range of sector and medical bodies, including the Heads of University Counselling Services, the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the former Disability Rights Commission and most recently from the UniversitiesUK/Guild HE Working Group for the Promotion of Mental Well-Being in Higher Education. Further information about the Working Group is available at the following website:
	http://www.mwbhe.com/

Trade Unions: Pay

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of full-time trade union officials whose salaries are paid from the public purse.

Edward Davey: No precise estimates are available. However, according to the Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2004, about 10% of “senior” workplace representatives, in both the public and private sectors combined, work full time on their representative functions.

Trade Unions: Public Bodies

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the employment of full-time trade union officials by public bodies.

Edward Davey: BIS has not received any representations recently on the employment of full-time trade union officials by public bodies.

WALES

Freedom of Information

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2011, Official Report, column 407W, on freedom of information, if she will publish information on (a) the nature of each request, (b) the name of the applicant and (c) the reason why the deadline was not met in respect of each Freedom of Information Act 2000 request which was not determined within the deadline.

David Jones: The requests sought information on:
	the composition of the Referendum Project board, its terms of reference and availability of minutes;
	amounts of severance pay paid to Wales Office staff and the numbers of staff involved;
	Wales Office Senior Civil Service expense claims;
	Wales Office staff expenses;
	the difference between landfill site for grant and landfill site licensed;
	foreign direct investment and China;
	closure of the DSA in Cardiff;
	correspondence between the Wales Office and the Treasury about the Barnett Formula;
	approved contractors to work on highways in Wales and approved contractors to work on crash barriers;
	travel and subsistence for Ministers, Directors and staff for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010/11;
	the Wales Office St David's Day reception;
	the list of invitees to the St David's Day reception;
	credit card statements since April 2010; and
	written guidance from special advisers to press officers.
	The names of the applicants in respect of the above requests are being withheld in order to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. The applicants provided their details to enable the Wales Office to respond to their requests for information. It would be incompatible with the principles set out in the 1998 Act to disclose their details for another purpose.
	The reasons why the deadlines were not met were that additional time was needed to ensure that the information was comprehensive and accurate, to consult others or to consider fully the public interest test.

DEFENCE

Apache Helicopters: Guided Weapons

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the safety implications for armed forces personnel of firing Hellfire missiles from Apache helicopters; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: Hellfire missiles, and all other munitions fired from the UK Apache helicopter, have had a complete safety and risk analysis undertaken to understand all aspects of the implications of their use prior to their introduction to service. This included assessments of the risks to service personnel and other operators of the aircraft, both in the air and on the ground.

Apache Helicopters: Guided Weapons

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Hellfire missiles have been fired by Apache helicopters in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: Detailed records for Apache attack helicopter firings of Hellfire missiles are only available since 2008 onwards, as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of Hellfires 
			 January 2008 - December 2008 151 
			 January 2009 - December 2009 164 
			 January 2010 - December 2010 128 
			 January 2011 - May 2011 108 
		
	
	This includes both operational and training firings.
	The Hellfire missile has shown itself to be the weapon of choice for Apache attack helicopter operations, proving to be an accurate and reliable weapon system and providing airborne fire support to ground forces. This predominantly involves supporting troops in contact, in addition to providing cover for the emergency medical extraction of seriously wounded personnel.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) uniformed armed forces personnel at each grade have pension pots (i) currently valued and (ii) projected to be valued on retirement at more than (A) £1 million and (B) £1.5 million.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for voluntary redundancy from the armed forces his Department has received from members of the armed forces resident in each parliamentary constituency.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 13 June 2011
	The total number of extant valid applications for the compulsory regular armed forces redundancy programme across the three services is 2,295. Data broken down by parliamentary constituency could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The window for applications for this first, of up to four, tranches has now closed. All tranches are due to be complete by March 2015.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on operations-specific personal protective (a) clothing and (b) equipment in the last 12 months.

Peter Luff: During financial year 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence spent approximately £15 million on operational-specific personal protective equipment including body armour, pelvic protection and helmets. These costs include items issued to new recruits and the replenishment of stores in addition to supplies for personnel deployed.
	Items of operational-specific personal protective clothing are contained within a number of wider clothing contracts. Costs for the last 12 months could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Travel

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many disciplinary offences for the improper use of a Government procurement card have been recorded in his Department in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Department does have a whistleblowing hotline at the defence irregularity reporting cell and the following figures are based on incidents reported to that cell:
	1 April 2007 - 31 March 2008: four cases resulted in staff being prosecuted or disciplined
	1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009: three cases resulted in staff being prosecuted or disciplined
	1 April 2009 - 31 March 2010: Nil cases resulted in staff being prosecuted or disciplined
	1 April 2010 - 31 March 2011: One case resulted in staff being prosecuted or disciplined
	The figures are provided as at the date of report and include all cases closed up to 13 June 2011.

Falkland Islands: Air Force

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many quick reaction alert activations took place in the Falklands in the last 12 months; and how many aircraft (a) took part and (b) were airborne within the alert time on each such activation;
	(2)  how many Ministry of Defence aircraft were permanently based in the Falklands in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the model of each such aircraft is.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 14 June 2011
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 May 2011, Official Report, column 391W. There have been no further quick reaction alert activations.

HMS Endurance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (a) for how long HMS Endurance was leased, (b) how much that lease cost and (c) at what cost it was purchased.

Peter Luff: The records of these arrangements are stored in archive and need to be retrieved in order to provide a full answer to the hon. Member. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

HMS Endurance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the decommissioning of HMS Endurance.

Peter Luff: Cost models for the different options for delivering the UK's ice patrol capability will be developed to inform the decision-making process. I am withholding details of such costs as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

HMS Protector

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the (a) fuel, (b) personnel and (c) maintenance of HMS Protector in each year of its lease;
	(2)  (a) what options there are available to extend the lease of HMS Protector and (b) what estimate his Department has made on the cost of continuing the lease of HMS Protector beyond the current contract.

Peter Luff: The initial three year lease for HMS Protector can be extended for up to another two years. I am withholding information relating to the costs of extending the lease as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
	We have estimated that the annual costs of operating HMS Protector would be approximately £2.3 million for fuel and £4 million for personnel. Maintenance costs are included in the leasing contract and are not separately identifiable.

HMS Protector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of leasing HMS Protector under sharing arrangements with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The delivery of the UK’s ice patrol capability is funded solely by the Ministry of Defence and there are no cost sharing arrangements with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. HMS Protector has been leased, at a cost of £26million, from GC Rieber Shipping for an initial period of three years.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Royal Air Force personnel are based at Gioia del Colle as part of Operation Ellamy;
	(2)  what the average (a) daily and (b) monthly cost of basing Royal Air Force personnel at Gioia del Colle has been to date.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 7 June 2011
	As of 1 June 2011 there were 550 RAF personnel, to the nearest 50, based in Gioia del Colle as part of Operation Ellamy. These include UK personnel seconded to NATO for operation Unified Protector.
	The precise number of personnel overseas fluctuates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces, visits and a range of other factors. We do not, therefore, publish actual figures for personnel deployed.
	The average monthly cost, assessed on 1 June 2011, for accommodation of all UK personnel (including Royal Navy, army and civilians) at Gioia dell Colle is around £1 million. This equates to an approximate cost of £30,000 per day.

Navy

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what vessels are leased by the Royal Navy; and what the cost to the public purse was to lease each such vessel in each of the last five years.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence leases three river class vessels (HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey), one more capable modified river class vessel (HMS Clyde) and one ice breaker (HMS Protector). As the lease for HMS Protector began in March 2011, there are no historical costs.
	
		
			 Lease costs for the four river class vessels 
			 £ 
			  Financial year 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey(1) 8.9 million 7.3 million 7.3 million 7.3 million 7.3 million 
		
	
	
		
			 HMS Clyde 642,000 3.5 million 3.5 million 3.5 million 3.5 million 
			 (1) The lease cost for the HMS Tyne, HMS Severn, HMS Mersey is a single charge for all three vessels.

Reserve Forces

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what post-operation support his Department makes available to reservists based in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) other parts of the UK.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 January 2011, Official Report, columns 520-21W, to the hon. Member for Redditch (Karen Lumley).

Reserve Forces: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the reserve forces in Northern Ireland were mobilised in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The following table provides the total number of reserve personnel with a residential address in Northern Ireland who were mobilised in each of the last three financial years.
	
		
			 Financial year Mobilised Reservists 
			 2008-09 80 
			 2009-10 200 
			 2010-11 60 
		
	
	All numbers have been subject to rounding.

Reserve Forces: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Royal Naval Reserve and (b) Territorial Army were recruited in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Andrew Robathan: The following table provides information on the total number of personnel recruited from Northern Ireland into the Royal Naval Reserve and the Territorial Army in each of the last three financial years:
	
		
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Royal Naval Reserve 8 20 26 
			 Territorial Army 373 263 121

TRANSPORT

Cycling England

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans he has to support the work formerly carried out by Cycling England;
	(2)  what plans he has to support cycling in large urban areas outside London.

Norman Baker: The Government are strongly committed to cycling, as was made clear in the coalition agreement.
	We see the encouragement of cycling and walking, along with improvements to public transport, as key to cutting carbon emissions and enhancing the quality of our urban areas.
	As announced in the Public Bodies Review, Cycling England ceased to exist after 31 March 2011.
	In January this year we published our White Paper on Local Transport: “Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon—Making Sustainable Local Transport Happen”. Chapter 5 of the White Paper sets out what we are doing, and what local authorities can do, to support cycling.
	At the same time I announced the £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund, available to transport authorities outside London, large or small, rural or urban. Transport authorities themselves, working together with the communities they serve, have determined their own transport priorities in bidding to the Fund. The Department for Transport is currently assessing bids to the first tranche of the Fund, and I will be making announcements as planned later this summer. Many of the bids feature proposals on cycling.

Halifax-Leeds Railway Line

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for future numbers of carriages on passenger rail services between Halifax and Leeds.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport announced in April 2011 an agreement with Northern Rail to add 20 carriages to their fleet. As a consequence the following trains will be lengthened: the 09.16 service from Halifax to Leeds and the 06.37 service from Leeds to Halifax (which then goes on to arrive at Manchester Victoria at 08.14). These carriages are expected to be introduced in December 2011.
	The Department is currently in negotiations with Northern Rail to agree the deployment of further additional carriages in the north. These discussions are expected to be concluded and an announcement made later in the year.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average value is of the properties in respect of which compensation has been awarded under the HS2 Exceptional Hardship scheme; and how many such homes were (a) semi-detached, (b) detached, (c) terraced and (d) bungalows.

Philip Hammond: 38 applications have been accepted, and the total value of 34 of these properties, calculated by the sum of formal offers made to applicants, is £19,920,000, giving an average property value of £585,882.35. HS2 Ltd is currently awaiting valuations on the other four properties that have been accepted.
	HS2 Ltd does not record information on property types.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of those granted HS2 exceptional hardship compensation to date were supported by legal advisors.

Philip Hammond: HS2 Ltd does not record this information.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to establish appropriate long-term blight arrangements to assist those most seriously affected by the proposed HS2 line; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: Details of the statutory provisions on blight and compensation that would apply for any new high speed line, and a range of options for possible additional discretionary arrangements to help those whose properties would not be compulsorily purchased in order to build a new line, but who may still experience a significant loss in the value of their property as a result of it, are set out in Annex A of the Government’s consultation document, “High Speed Rail: Investing in Britain's Future” available at:
	http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/library/documents/consultation-document

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many property owners who applied to the HS2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme applied in respect of a property which was inherited following bereavement; and how many such applications were (a) accepted and (b) rejected.

Philip Hammond: Four applications to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been received so far in respect of a property which is part of the estate of a deceased person. Two of these have been accepted; the other two are awaiting decision.

Transport: Disadvantaged

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to promote social inclusion through transport.

Norman Baker: Good transport is crucial to people's quality of life. The Department for Transport (DfT) actively promotes measures to enhance social inclusion by enabling disadvantaged people to connect with employment opportunities, key services, social networks and goods.
	DfT initiatives contributing to reducing social exclusion include:
	Providing free, off-peak bus travel for elderly and disabled people in England.
	Reducing crime and the fear of crime wherever it occurs in the transport system.
	Continuing to build on the progress that has already been made following the introduction of accessibility regulations for trains, buses and coaches under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA).
	Helping disabled and older drivers to continue to use their car as a means of accessing the services they require.

Transport: Regional Planning and Development

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the status is of the interim regional transport authority; and through what mechanism its functions are being exercised.

Norman Baker: The North East Interim Regional Transport Board (NEIRTB) was a non-statutory body which agreed the regional funding advice provided to Government in 2006 and 2009 on the prioritisation of transport major schemes in the North East. The NEIRTB currently has no functions, but it is possible that such a non-statutory body could have a role in future in prioritising local authority major transport schemes.
	Following the 2010 spending review, an announcement has already been made on the Highways Agency major schemes programme to 2015 and the remaining decisions on funding for local authorities major transport schemes in “the Development Pool” will be made following submission of best and final offers by scheme promoters.
	In line with greater localism, the Government have already devolved many aspects of transport policy and funding to the local authority level. The Government will announce later this year how they intend to take forward such devolution with respect to local authority major transport schemes for the next spending review period.

JUSTICE

Asylum: Appeals

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether arrangements are in place to restrict eligibility to appeal against asylum judgements in the same way as restrictions are placed on eligibility for legal aid for the general public.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government recently conducted a consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales, which closed on 14 February 2011.
	Currently legal aid can be provided for asylum matters. Before funding is granted, the applicant must satisfy a means test, and a test of the merits of the case. The means test for asylum cases is the same as for other types of case.
	We are considering the consultation responses, and will publish the Government response shortly.

Civil Proceedings: Insolvency

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on his proposals for reform of civil litigation funding and costs for insolvency cases; what response he has made to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: Annex A of ‘Reforming Civil Litigation Funding and Costs in England and Wales—Implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's Recommendations: The Government Response,’ set out the list of those who responded to the consultation. This included the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, the Insolvency Lawyers Association and the Insolvency Service. Ministry of Justice officials are in ongoing contact with officials at HMRC and the Insolvency Service to discuss the impact of the reforms on insolvency proceedings.

Coroners

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the costs of appeal against a coroner's decision (a) to a Chief Coroner and (b) by means of judicial review.

Jonathan Djanogly: An impact assessment for part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 was published in December 2008 and summarised the full costs and benefits of implementing the coroners provisions in the Act, including those relating to appeals. This estimated overall set up costs of £10.9 million and running costs of £6.6 million per annum. I placed a further, more detailed, breakdown of those figures in the Library of the House on 20 May. This estimated that approximately £2.2 million of the running costs would be needed to fund appeals to the chief coroner. No further analysis has been conducted.

Coroners

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has made an assessment of the potential cost to the public purse of carrying out functions that would have been undertaken by the Chief Coroner.

Jonathan Djanogly: As announced in the written ministerial statement on 14 October 2010, Official Report, column 36WS, changes to coroners' services from partial implementation of Part One of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 will be cost-neutral. The decision to transfer Chief Coroner functions without fully implementing Part One of the Act means that the estimated £10.9 million set-up costs, and £6.6 million running costs per annum would no longer be incurred by the public purse.

Debt Collection

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of (a) successful enforcements and (b) funding recovered from the original outstanding debt were made by High Court enforcement officers in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: High Court enforcement officers are obliged to provide the Ministry of Justice with annual Statistics on the writs they receive and execute. Figures are only available since 2008:
	
		
			 Writs cleared in year 2008 2009 2010 
			 Unenforceable 43,607 50,245 45,931 
			 No goods 2,157 2,007 2,133 
			 Refused entry 4,240 3,306 3,152 
			 Paid - by instalments 9,431 13,015 12,289 
			 Paid - single payment 8,752 8,530 8,323 
			 Other 218 229 342 
			 Total number of writs cleared 68,405 77,332 72,170 
		
	
	
		
			     
			 Percentage Unenforceable 63.7 65.0 63.6 
			 Percentage no goods 3.2 2.6 3.0 
			 Percentage refused entry 6.2 4.3 4.4 
			 Percentage paid by instalments 13.8 16.8 17.0 
			 Percentage paid - single payment 12.8 11.0 11.5 
			 Percentage Other 0.3 0.3 0.5 
			     
			 Total money collected from these writs (£) 64,454,694 61,855,548 64,253,832 
			 Total value of all these writs (£) 347,181,497 420,347,175 391,774,510 
			 Total value of enforceable writs only (£) 92,146,834 107,401,658 97,776,844 
			 Pence in the £ - all writs 18.6 14.7 16.4 
			 Pence in the £ - enforceable writs 69.9 57.6 65.7 
			 Value of unenforceable debt (£) 255,034,663 312,945,517 293,997,666 
			 Unenforceable debt as percentage of total debt 73.5 74.4 75.0 
			     
			 Number of new writs received in year 70,557 78,411 71,114 
		
	
	Successful enforcement is defined as those cases paid either by instalment or by a single payment.
	HMCTS does not have statistics on the fees recovered by the High Court enforcement officers.

Debt Collection

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the monetary value is of his Department's contract with Sherforce for High Court enforcement services.

Jonathan Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not have any contracts with Sherforce or, in fact, any other High Court enforcement officer. Enforcement in the civil courts is a matter for the creditor. It would be for the creditor to request the High Court enforcement officer to enforce on their behalf.

Debt Collection

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases have been passed by HM Courts and Tribunals Service to each High Court enforcement officer in each year since 2006.

Jonathan Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service have not passed any cases to High Court enforcement officers. Enforcement in the civil courts is a matter for the creditor. It would be for the creditor to request the High Court enforcement officers to enforce on their behalf.
	However the number of High Court monetary writs issued by creditors since 2006 is:
	
		
			  Writs issued 
			 2006 38,094 
			 2007 48,731 
			 2008 53,196 
			 2009 49,701 
		
	
	Statistics for 2010 have not yet been published.

Debt Collection

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the monetary value was of each of his Department's contracts for High Court enforcement services in each of the last three years; and who held each such contract;
	(2)  what the monetary value is of each of his Department's contracts for High Court enforcement services in Liverpool; and who held each such contract.

Jonathan Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not have any contracts with any High Court enforcement officers. Enforcement in the civil courts is a matter for the creditor. It would be for the creditor to request the High Court enforcement officer to enforce on their behalf.

Departmental Responsibilities

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what strategic framework his Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period.

Kenneth Clarke: The Departmental Business Plan 2011-15 sets out the strategic vision of the Department during the spending review period. We have organised our reform work into the five Structural Reform Priorities that make up the Business Plan.
	The delivery arms (National Offender Management Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Legal Services Commission and the Office of the Public Guardian) have drawn up business plans that tie in to the overall strategic direction of the Department. The plans are available through the following website:
	www.justice.gov.uk
	To support this framework, business areas that support front line delivery have produced Corporate Delivery Plans. These include the strategies that are needed to deliver change, as well as delivery actions and resources.

Domestic Violence: Legal Aid

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on his proposals for legal aid for private family cases involving victims of domestic violence; what response he has made to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government recently conducted a consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales, which closed on 14 February 2011.
	The Government have received consultation responses and representations from representative bodies and members of the public about legal aid for private family cases involving victims of domestic violence, and our proposals in this area have been raised in parliamentary debates. We have been carefully considering responses. The Government's response to the consultation will be published shortly.

Drugs: Convictions

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of (a) possession and (b) supply of illegal drugs of each classification level in each year since 2007; and how many such people received (i) a custodial sentence and (ii) the maximum possible sentence in each case.

Crispin Blunt: Persons found guilty at all courts and sentenced, given immediate custody and the statutory maximum sentence for possession, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug, by classification, in England and Wales from 2007 to 2010, can be viewed in the tables as follows:
	
		
			 Number of persons found guilty at all courts and sentenced for possession, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug and maximum sentence, England and Wales, 2007 to 2010  (1, 2, 3) 
			  2007 2008 
			 Drug offences Found guilty Total sentenced Other sentences Immediate custody Maximum sentence Found guilty Total sentenced Other sentences Immediate custody Maximum sentence 
			 Possession class A (max 7 years) 13,389 13,286 12,383 903 3 14,599 14,516 13,531 985 4 
			 Possession class B (max 5 years) 2,466 2,449 2,347 102 0 2,764 2,754 2,658 96 0 
			 Possession class C (max 2 years) 1,761 1,798 1,738 60 4 2,848 2,892 2,805 87 5 
			 Possession class unspecified 33 47 40 7 * 21 29 18 11 * 
			 Possession cannabis(4) (max 5 years) 14,073 14,004 13,842 162 3 17,855 17,831 17,584 247 2 
			 Supply class A (max life) 2,633 2,594 784 1,810 0 2,968 2,976 931 2,045 2 
			 Supply class B (Max 14 years) 84 85 59 26 0 98 97 51 46 0 
			 Supply class C (max 14 years) 201 230 165 65 0 273 293 180 113 0 
			 Supply class unspecified 222 233 20 213 * 248 250 20 230 * 
			 Supply cannabis(4) (max 14 years) 367 354 253 101 0 352 334 230 104 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class A (max life) 3,500 3,473 1,004 2,469 2 4,010 3,972 1,059 2,913 1 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class B ( max 14 years) 308 302 163 139 0 341 344 180 164 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class C (max 14 years) 687 761 473 288 0 805 905 590 315 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class unspecified 46 68 28 40 * 46 58 20 38 * 
			 Possession with intent to supply Cannabis (max 14 years) 958 910 678 232 0 1,241 1,142 879 263 0 
		
	
	
		
			  2009 2010 
			 Drug offences Found guilty Total sentenced Other sentences Immediate custody Maximum sentence Found guilty Total sentenced Other sentences Immediate custody Maximum sentence 
			 Possession class A (max 7 years) 13,742 13,670 12,894 776 9 12,254 12,175 11,396 779 2 
			 Possession class B (max 5 years) 4,204 4,186 4,072 114 0 4,265 4,268 4,110 158 0 
			 Possession class C (max 2 years) 1,923 1,922 1,858 64 3 1,578 1,576 1,521 55 5 
			 Possession class unspecified 16 27 14 13 * 15 23 20 3 * 
			 Possession cannabis(4) (max 5 years) 21,457 21,300 20,980 320 2 25,188 25,012 24,666 346 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Supply class A (max life) 2,804 2,809 830 1,979 0 2,549 2,530 774 1,756 0 
			 Supply class B (Max 14 years) 171 172 84 88 0 344 340 189 151 0 
			 Supply class C (max 14 years) 234 235 148 87 0 122 120 79 41 0 
			 Supply class unspecified 182 184 21 163 * 284 287 35 252 * 
			 Supply cannabis(4) (max 14 years) 387 392 256 136 0 517 521 348 173 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class A (max life) 3,675 3,696 861 2,835 0 3,753 3,687 908 2,779 1 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class B ( max 14 years) 468 470 296 174 0 882 893 590 303 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class C (max 14 years) 700 725 473 252 0 325 326 248 78 0 
			 Possession with intent to supply Class unspecified 53 60 13 47 * 50 58 23 35 * 
			 Possession with intent to supply Cannabis (max 14 years) 1,453 1,443 1050 393 0 2,343 2,307 1660 647 0 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3 )Sentenced may exceed those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown court, may be sentenced in the following year. (4 )Cannabis was re-classified to a class B drug on 26 January 2009  * Not applicable Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Legal Aid: Education

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has made on his proposals for legal aid for legal help and advice on education matters; what response he has made to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government recently conducted a consultation on proposals for the reform of legal aid in England and Wales, which closed on 14 February 2011.
	We proposed that all education matters be removed from the scope of legal aid. We took the view that education issues are generally of less importance to the individual than cases concerning an individual's immediate physical safety or liberty, and therefore proposed that funding does not continue, other than for discrimination education matters that are currently within the scope of the scheme.
	We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Payments: Natural Resources

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it compulsory for oil, mining and gas companies based in the UK to publish details of any payments they make to foreign Governments.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), made clear following the G20 Finance Minister's meeting in February 2011, the Government believe that development of new rules to require oil, gas and mining companies to report the payments they make to Governments should take place at the international level.
	The Government have committed to arguing for a European agreement that matches the new standards set in the US, and the UK will be engaging with EU partners on this issue.

Prison Sentences

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders have served an indeterminate sentence for public protection and been released (a) in total and (b) in respect of each offence; and what length of time was spent in prison in each case where an offender has been released from prison.

Crispin Blunt: The data record that the total number of prisoners released from an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection between 2006 and 2010 was 202. These data were published in the Offender Management Statistics 2010 tables on the Ministry of Justice website in April 2011.
	
		
			  Releases Average time served (years) 
			 2006 3 1 
			 2007 13 2 
			 2008 36 2 
			 2009 53 3 
			 2010 91 4 
		
	
	The number of releases by offence group in 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Releases 
			 Violence against the person 46 
			 Sexual offences 14 
			 Robbery 25 
			 Other 12 
			 Total 97 
		
	
	Detailed data on offences before 2010 are not held centrally in an electronic format. A manual trawl of prisoner files would be required to obtain these data; this would incur disproportionate cost.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners’ Release

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of those convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences and (c) violent offences have been recalled to prison after being released on licence in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many people convicted of sexual offences against children are on licence; and how many such offenders were released on licence in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  how many persons convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences against children, (c) other sexual offences and (d) a violent offence were released from prison after serving custodial sentences of (i) less than one year, (ii) between one and two years, (iii) between two and three years, (iv) between three and four years, (v) between four and five years, (vi) between five and six years, (vii) between six and seven years, (viii) between seven and eight years, (ix) between eight and nine years, (x) between nine and 10 years, (xi) between 10 and 11 years, (xii) between 11 and 12 years, (xiii) between 12 and 15 years, (xiv) between 15 and 20 years and (xv) over 20 years in each of the last 10 years;
	(4)  how many persons convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences and (c) violent offences are released on licence; and how many were released on licence in each of the last 10 years;
	(5)  how many and what proportion of persons convicted of (a) rape, (b) sexual offences against children, (c) other sexual offences and (d) a violent offence were released from prison having been in custody (i) less than 50 per cent., (ii) between one-half and two-thirds, (iii) between two-thirds and three-quarters, (iv) between 75 per cent. and 80 per cent., (v) between 80 per cent. and 85 per cent., (vi) between 85 per cent. and 90 per cent., (vii) between 90 per cent. and 95 per cent., (viii) between 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. and (ix) 100 per cent. of their sentence in each of the last 10 years.

Crispin Blunt: Under a determinate sentence of 12 months or more imposed under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (for offences committed after 4 April 2005) the legislation requires that prisoners must be released automatically at the half way point with the rest of the sentence served on licence in the community and subject to recall to prison. If recalled to prison, the offender may serve some or all of the rest of his sentence in custody.
	For some, lower risk offenders serving sentences of less than four years, release may be granted at the discretion of the prison governor earlier than the half-way point on Home Detention Curfew (HDC), where the offender is subject to an electronically monitored curfew (or "tagging"). All registered sex offenders and violent offenders serving extended sentences are excluded from HDC, and prisoners who are eligible to be considered must pass an individual risk assessment before HDC may be granted.
	Offenders convicted of serious violent or sexual offences committed before 4 April 2005 and subject to a sentence of four years or more remain subject to the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. Under such a determinate sentence the offender may be released between the half way and two-thirds point of the sentence by the Parole Board, with release automatic at the two thirds point. Once released, the offender is on licence and subject to recall to prison up to the three quarters point of the sentence.
	Adults serving a determinate sentence of less than 12 months serve half the sentence in custody and are then ‘at risk' for the remainder of their sentence, which means that if they commit a further offence during this period they may have to serve the outstanding part of the sentence. However, offenders aged 18 to 21 who are subject to a sentence of Detention in a Young Offender Institution (DYOI) of less than 12 months are subject to a minimum period of three months supervision following release from custody.
	Offenders may be detained in custody beyond the automatic release date if they are subject to added days imposed under disciplinary proceedings for behaviour in prison.
	Under an indeterminate sentence, the offender must serve in full the minimum term imposed by the court before being considered for release by the Parole Board. If and when the offender is released he or she is subject to licence conditions and recall to prison. If the offender is serving a sentence of imprisonment for public protection the licence period is a minimum often years. The licence period under a life sentence lasts for the whole of the offender's natural life.
	Young people sentenced to detention and training orders serve the first half of their sentence in custody and the second half in the community. Early release allows those young people who meet the criteria to be released from custody either one or two months earlier than their mid point date, depending on the length of their sentence. The early release scheme is available to young people serving a DTO, of between eight and 24 months in length. On release, it is a mandatory requirement for the young person to be electronically monitored for the period when they would otherwise have been in custody; until the midpoint. There is a presumption that all young people will be released early unless they are serving a sentence for specific sexual or violent offences, or their behaviour and/or progress against their training plan is unsatisfactory.
	Young people aged 10-17 convicted of certain serious offences serve the first half of their sentence in custody up and the second part in the community, subject to supervision requirements. Young people serving terms of between three months and four years may be eligible for earlier release under a home detention curfew, which operates in a similar way to the adult scheme.
	The first table shows the number of prisoners released from determinate sentences for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences, and (c)violence against the person offences, by detailed sentence length band in each year from 2001-10 (except 2009 where the data is not available to this level of detail). From the data held centrally, it is not possible to separately identify those offenders convicted of sexual offences against children; they are included with other sexual offences.
	The second table shows the number of prisoners released from prison and subject to supervision in the community for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences, and (c) violence against the person offences in each year from 2001-10 (except 2009 where the data is not available to this level of detail). Again sexual offences against children will be included in the other sexual offences group.
	The third table shows the proportion of time served by offenders discharged from determinate sentences for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences, and (c) violence against the person offences in each year from 2001-10 (except 2009 where the data are not available to this level of detail). All those serving two-thirds or more of their sentence have been grouped together because their time served will include time on recall.
	The fourth table shows the number of offenders recalled to custody in 2009 and 2010 who had originally been convicted of (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences, and (c) violence against the person offences. The equivalent data for earlier years is not held centrally. The number of recalls in a given year should not be compared with the number of discharges in that year, because offenders will not necessarily be released and recalled in the same year.
	Accessible electronic data on offences are incomplete for recalls before 2009. Offence data are contained within individual prisoner files. However, a manual trawl of each prisoner's record for each year would substantially exceed cost limits.
	Figures in all tables are all those aged 15 and over.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Table 1: Prisoners discharged from determinate sentences for rape, other sexual offences and violence against the person, England and Wales, 2001-10 
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson 
			 Total 490 1,644 12,511 532 1,635 12,952 517 1,570 12,804 
			 Less than one year 7 399 7,581 5 356 7,507 7 312 7,257 
			 1 years to less than 2 years 12 403 2,204 8 381 2,558 14 414 2,517 
			 2 years to less than 3 years 11 228 967 14 273 1,093 10 253 1,122 
			 3 years to less than 4 years 28 200 661 45 192 747 30 229 814 
			 4 years to less than 5 years 48 151 388 50 160 378 34 133 405 
			 5 years to less than 6 years 70 86 272 62 98 249 65 79 249 
			 6 years to less than 7 years 79 60 161 85 62 145 80 55 169 
			 7 years to less than 8 years 75 50 93 70 40 104 68 38 92 
			 8 years to less than 9 years 52 30 67 76 32 54 65 20 51 
			 9 years to less than 10 years 30 13 27 35 10 29 48 10 30 
			 10 years to less than 11 years 35 13 43 38 19 35 41 20 42 
			 11 years to less than 12 years 12 2 9 13 2 9 14 3 7 
			 12 years to less than 15 years 26 9 23 28 10 28 33 3 36 
			 15 years to less than 20 years 4 0 10 3 0 13 7 1 12 
			 20 years to less than life 1 0 5 0 0 3 1 0 1 
		
	
	
		
			  2004 2005 2006 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   person Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   person 
			 Total 553 1,629 14,321 572 1,583 15,555 515 1,569 15,612 
			 Less than one year 6 359 8,627 7 313 9,389 16 297 9,750 
			 1 years to less than 2 years 12 404 2,482 14 370 2,659 12 384 2,592 
		
	
	
		
			 2 years to less than 3 years 11 233 1,112 20 286 1,261 19 272 1,173 
			 3 years to less than 4 years 21 218 830 30 233 903 53 246 917 
			 4 years to less than 5 years 48 138 470 42 148 537 46 154 448 
			 5 years to less than 6 years 55 82 324 65 82 286 48 68 315 
			 6 years to less than 7 years 87 68 164 78 51 204 77 46 171 
			 7 years to less than 8 years 62 47 112 68 41 112 52 38 92 
			 8 years to less than 9 years 79 35 70 55 21 60 57 22 57 
			 9 years to less than 10 years 48 11 26 47 14 28 34 8 22 
			 10 years to less than 11 years 46 17 42 54 10 40 47 20 35 
			 11 years to less than 12 years 12 6 9 16 1 10 9 4 7 
			 12 years to less than 15 years 56 9 38 65 12 44 38 7 26 
			 15 years to less than 20 years 8 2 9 11 1 18 7 3 7 
			 20 years to less than life 2 0 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 2008 2010 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   person Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   person Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   person 
			 Total 609 1,569 16,633 656 1,687 19,123 763 1,677 19,051 
			 Less than one year 11 272 10,336 12 316 12,117 12 266 10,647 
			 1 years to less than 2 years 15 350 2,726 9 397 3,086 12 388 3,686 
			 2 years to less than 3 years 25 269 1,203 21 289 1,381 19 336 1,762 
			 3 years to less than 4 years 38 233 825 43 255 830 39 235 1,046 
			 4 years to less than 5 years 54 165 571 60 158 542 80 179 682 
			 5 years to less than 6 years 72 102 436 90 83 490 93 100 488 
			 6 years to less than 7 years 74 57 201 81 79 281 87 68 229 
			 7 years to less than 8 years 63 41 143 71 38 164 83 35 138 
			 8 years to less than 9 years 65 32 78 71 29 98 124 29 150 
			 9 years to less than 10 years 55 11 30 43 11 38 59 11 81 
			 10 years to less than 11 years 59 16 38 69 13 41 69 15 57 
			 11 years to less than 12 years 17 5 6 20 5 12 18 0 23 
			 12 years to less than 15 years 52 12 29 51 10 31 52 10 38 
			 15 years to less than 20 years 9 4 9 14 4 11 13 4 21 
			 20 years to less than life 0 0 2 1 0 1 3 1 3 
		
	
	
		
			 Table2: Prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on licence for rape, other sexual offences and violence against the person, England and Wales, 2001-10 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the person 
			 2001 485 1,282 6,936 
			 2002 530 1,330 7,260 
			 2003 511 1,293 7,213 
			 2004 548 1,317 7,540 
			 2005 568 1,305 8,265 
			 2006 504 1,296 8,014 
			 2007 601 1,327 8,600 
			 2008 645 1,405 9,622 
			 2010 769 1,466 10,888 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Percentage of time served (including remand) in prison by prisoners discharged from determinate sentences for rape, other sexual offences and violence against the person, England and Wales 
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   pe  rson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson 
			 Total 406 1,424 10,484 442 1,422 11,026 434 1,360 10,840 
			 Less than 50(1) 15 233 5,827 9 230 6,638 10 195 6,677 
			 50 to less than 2/3 294 1,058 3,899 352 1,090 3,702 330 1,066 3,604 
		
	
	
		
			 2/3 or more 97 133 758 81 102 686 94 99 559 
		
	
	
		
			  2004 2005 2006 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson 
			 Total 443 1,400 12,049 554 1,560 15,034 506 1,539 15,088 
			 Less than 50(1) 7 236 7,069 12 197 7,367 11 164 6,502 
			 50 to less than 2/3 377 1,053 4,287 373 1,089 5,159 333 1,103 5,612 
			 2/3 or more 59 111 693 169 274 2,508 162 272 2,974 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 2008 2010 
			  Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson Rape Other sexual offences Violence against the   p  erson 
			 Total 596 1,538 16,078 636 1,654 18,539 740 1,597 16,960 
			 Less than 50(1) 16 121 6,887 30 181 8,145 86 162 6,520 
			 50 to less than 2/3 376 1,105 5,931 416 1,156 7,119 476 1,163 8,105 
			 2/3 or more 204 312 3,260 190 317 3,275 178 272 2,335 
			 (1) This includes cases where prisoners were deported or where the prisoner was discharged on the Friday before a weekend release date. Note: All those serving two-thirds or more of their sentence have been grouped together because their time served will include time on recall. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: Number of offenders recalled to custody in 2009 and 2010 for rape, other sexual offences and violence against the person, England and Wales 
			  2009 2010 
			 Rape 226 224 
			 Other sexual offences 482 507 
			 Violence against the person 3,109 3,248

Probation: Unpaid Work

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the arrangements for the disclosing party in respect of probation staff to sign confidentiality clauses in respect of the tendering for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: All MOJ procurement competitions require the same confidentiality undertaking to be completed by bidders. Probation trusts have non-departmental public body status and are responsible for internal management and assessment of processes involved as a bidder.

Probation: Unpaid Work

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what definition of information previously known to the employee he proposes to use for probation staff required to sign confidentiality clauses in respect of the tendering for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: The bidder is required to respond with an overall undertaking as an organisation tendering for the service. The detail surrounding management of employee's within that organisation sits with the probation trust. There is no specific reference to information previously known to the employee within the MOJ confidentiality agreement.

Probation: Unpaid Work

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects on the role of union representatives for probation staff of signing confidentiality clauses in respect of the tendering for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: All bidding organisations are required to complete the same confidentiality undertaking. It is for the bidder to assess and manage the implications of this for staff.

Probation: Unpaid Work

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons it is proposed that confidentiality clauses in respect of the tendering for unpaid work in England and Wales should last for two years.

Crispin Blunt: The normal statutory provisions shall apply to the release of information to tenderers, none of which contains a two year limitation. All information which is not already a matter of public knowledge including written and oral information is subject to a confidentiality clause and this undertaking will continue to apply at all times in the future.

Probation: Unpaid Work

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons probation trusts have been grouped together for the purpose of tendering for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: Six ‘competition lots' have been constructed to cover England and Wales. This reflects the decision to compete Community Payback at a national level rather than at the level of the 35 trusts to maximise economies of scale and promote innovative delivery models. A number of different options for the design of the lots were considered. The final design has achieved balanced lots in terms of volumes, they do not cut across existing probation trust boundaries and do not give advantage to any provider.

Reoffenders

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what powers a private sector operator of the contract for unpaid work in England and Wales will have in relation to offenders who reoffend whilst on placement.

Crispin Blunt: A private sector provider of Community Payback (like a probation trust) would have no specific powers in relation to offenders who reoffend while on placement. Any suspected offence committed on a work placement would be reported to the police.
	As a provider of probation services appointed by the Secretary of State for Justice private sector providers of Community Payback would have the same powers in relation to the enforcement and breach of community and suspended sentence orders as a probation trust.

Shoplifting: Fixed Penalties

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made in his consideration of fixed penalty notices for shoplifting offences; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) are available to the police to deal quickly and effectively with low-level, antisocial and nuisance offending, including minor instances of retail theft. The scheme allows the police to spend more time on frontline duties and provides an alternative to prosecution in appropriate cases.
	Before PNDs were introduced, many low-level instances of retail theft went unpunished or received just a verbal warning. PNDs ensure that retail theft is given the priority that it deserves in terms of punishing offenders immediately and protecting consumers and businesses.
	On 7 December 2010 we published the Green Paper, “Breaking the Cycle: Effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders”. This included a proposal to create a clearer national framework for the use of out-of-court disposals, of which the PND scheme is a part. The consultation period finished on 4 March and we are considering the comments received. We will publish a formal Government response shortly.

Victims and Witnesses General Fund

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations applied for funding from the Victims and Witnesses General Fund (2011-14); how much funding each organisation applied for; and how much each organisation was granted.

Crispin Blunt: A total of 277 applications for funding from the Victim and Witness General Fund were received from 256 voluntary sector organisations.
	The information provided in this answer does not include funding to organisations from either the Homicide Fund or the Rape Support fund. There were separate exercises through which funding was awarded from these funds.
	Successful applications
	There were 114 successful applications to the General Fund from 110 organisations. Of these, there are 104 organisations to which grants have been awarded and with which the agreement between the organisation and the Ministry of Justice has been signed. Details are provided in the following tables.
	There are a further six organisations which have been awarded grants in principle but with which discussions continue and in respect of which it is therefore not yet possible to provide details.
	
		
			 Antisocial behaviour 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Restorative Solutions 147,000 147,000 
			 Light for Life 142,984 142,984 
			 Voluntary Action NE Lincs 67,680 67,680 
			 The Riverside Group 129,511 129,511 
			 The Safer Luton Partnership 105,000 105,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Domestic violence 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Acorns (North Tyneside) 100,767 100,767 
			 Refuge 313,169 313,169 
			 Nottingham Women’s Aid 103,460 103,460 
			 My Sister’s Place 122,667 122,667 
			 Women’s Aid Integrated Services (WAIS) 186,445 186,445 
			 Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) 330,461 106,887 
			 Domestic Violence Services (Keighley) 290,800 290,800 
			 Domestic Abuse Safety Unit 90,000 90,000 
			 East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services 121,428 121,428 
			 Early Interventions and Protection Services 120,000 120,000 
			 Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid 120,575 120,575 
			 Citizen’s Advice Maidstone 90,000 90,000 
			 The Nia Project - Hackney 129,668 129,668 
			 Domestic Violence and Abuse Service (South and West Devon) 339,381 339,381 
			 North Derbyshire Women’s Aid 95,715 95,715 
			 Southampton Women’s Aid 96,000 96,000 
			 Stonham Housing 100,872 100,872 
			 Womans Trust 142,230 142,230 
			 Leeway Domestic Violence and Abuse Services (Norfolk) 99,904 99,904 
			 RISE 122,506 122,506 
			 BCHA 216,805 216,805 
			 Sandwell Women’s Aid 110,415 110,415 
			 Survive (Bristol) 134,449 134,449 
			 The Novas Scarman Group 108,517 108,517 
		
	
	
		
			 Safer Merthyr Tydfil 67,382 67,382 
			 Oasis Domestic Violence Service 117,788 117,788 
			 Wrexham Women’s Aid 138,639 138,639 
			 Advance 60,000 60,000 
			 North Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Services (NNIDAS) 108,827 108,827 
			 Arch (North Staffs) 114,167 114,167 
			 Victim Support (South Devon) 124,200 124,200 
			 Atal-y-Fro 123,774 123,774 
			 Lighthouse Women’s Aid 372,081 372,081 
		
	
	
		
			 Hate crime 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 The Metro Centre 88,500 88,500 
			 Dial House (Chester) 23,130 23,130 
			 Society for the Promotion and Advancement of Romany Culture (SPARC) 89,696 89,696 
			 Pakistani Resource Centre 84,740 84,740 
			 Milton Keynes Equality Council 173,700 173,700 
			 Lesbian and Gay Foundation 76,148 59,000 
			 Joint Association of Nissa (JAN) Trust 137,536 137,536 
			 Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality 386,400 386,400 
			 Support Against Racist Incidents (SARI) 226,095 89,025 
			 Stoke on Trent Citizen’s Advice Bureaux 65,966 65,966 
			 Lancashire Disability Information Federation 105,412 105,412 
			 VOICE UK 163,556 163,556 
			 Stop Hate UK 64,440 64,440 
			 Bede House Association 156,152 156,152 
			 Brighton and Hove Impetus 88,961 88,961 
			 Community Security Trust 179,750 147,000 
			 Galop 133,126 133,126 
		
	
	
		
			 Homicide 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) 93,594 (1)20,823 
			 Assistance Support and Self Help in Surviving Trauma (ASSIST) 60,000 60,000 
			 (1) Agreed for one year only. 
		
	
	
		
			 Non specific crime 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Luton All Women’s Centre 133,404 133,404 
			 The Streetlife Trust 107,251 107,251 
			 Rubicon Cares 84,831 84,831 
			 Greater Manchester High Sheriff’s Police Trust 71,500 71,500 
			 Safe! 54,031 54,031 
			 The Angelou Centre 166,624 166,624 
		
	
	
		
			 Galop 112,630 112,630 
			 Victim Support (Lewisham) 98,909 98,909 
			 Victim Support (Sussex) 120,000 120,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Robbery and burglary 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Bedfordshire Police Partnership Trust 289,552 75,000 
			 Fresh Horizons 381,476 75,000 
			 Cambridgeshire Police Shrievalty Trust 139,376 75,000 
			 West Herts Against Crime 266,055 75,000 
			 Norfolk PACT 129,796 75,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Road traffic crime 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Aftermath Support 83,683 83,683 
			 Brake (Literature) 124,725 124,725 
			 Brake (Helpline) 203,166 203,166 
			 Road Victims Trust 167,244 167,244 
			 RoadPeace 242,825 242,825 
		
	
	
		
			 Sexual violence 
			 £ 
			  3   year   funding  : 
			 Organisation sought approved 
			 Women’s Support Network 87,278 87,278 
			 Rotherham Women’s Counselling Service 149,118 149,118 
			 Survivors UK 192,184 192,184 
			 The Birchall Trust 90,783 90,783 
			 South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre 140,472 140,472 
			 Safe and Sound Derby 242,484 242,484 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Cheshire and Merseyside) 110,998 110,998 
			 Twelve’s Company 213,145 213,145 
			 National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) 523,575 523,575 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (Darlington and County Durham) 109,409 109,409 
			 First Step 110,959 110,959 
			 The Green House (Bristol) 72,626 72,626 
			 Safeline (Warwick) 176,106 176,106 
			 Incest and Sexual Abuse Survivors 325,196 175,128 
			 Karma Nirvana 272,101 265,977 
			 Kinergy 155,755 155,755 
			 Rugby RoSA 211,386 211,386 
			 Worcestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre 137,228 137,228 
			 Eva Women’s Aid 135,088 135,088 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline 85,151 85,151 
			 Crisis Point 277,499 142,499 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Liverpool) 124,303 109,303 
		
	
	
		
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Sefton) 160,154 160,154 
			 Safety Net Advice and Support Centre 92,378 92,378 
			 Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 295,793 295,793 
			 Axis Counselling 147,178 141,532 
			 Derbyshire Rape Crisis 172,635 172,635 
			 Sexual and Domestic Abuse and Rape Advice Centre (Burton and District) 199,635 160,583 
			 Respond 166,943 166,943 
			 Rape Crisis (Wycombe, Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire) 112,943 112,943 
			 Nottingham Rape Crisis Centre 141,828 141,828 
			 Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service 149,619 149,619 
		
	
	Unsuccessful a pplications
	Details of unsuccessful applications are provided in the following tables.
	
		
			 Antisocial behaviour 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Preston and South Ribble (North) Street Pastors 36,000 
			 Britannia Economical Support Trust 250,000 
			 Halton Housing Trust 549,501 
			 Involve Northwest 205,802 
			 Integritas Advocacy 48,666 
			 Preston Community Network 95,242 
			 Advance Housing and Support 331,500 
			 Big Ideas Trust 129,000 
			 African Refugee Women 'Nzoto Ya Nkolo' 90,000 
			 Volunteer Centre Blackpool Wyre and Fylde 125,906 
			 Developing Initiatives for Support in the Community 217,669 
			 Swansea Council for Voluntary Services 232,500 
			 Victim Support 2,669,954 
			 Victim Support 120,494 
			 Rights and Equalities Newham 153,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Domestic violence 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Cymdeithas Tai Eryri 241,908 
			 Chorley and South Ribble Council for Voluntary Services 49,063 
			 North Liverpool Citizen’s Advice Bureau 59,732 
			 Victim Support 120,000 
			 Relate Coventry 77,309 
			 Public Help Desk 115,992 
			 Plymouth Citizen’s Advice Bureau 213,272 
			 Dacorum Women’s Aid 180,192 
			 Women’s Centre 110,115 
			 Innovative Vision Organisation 93,600 
			 The Church of England Children’s Society 141,519 
			 South Tyneside Council for Voluntary Service 60,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Leeway Domestic Violence and Abuse Services (Suffolk) 107,380 
		
	
	
		
			 Hate crime 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Hart Gable 126,405 
			 Disability Equality (NW) Ltd 276,675 
			 Preston and Western Lancashire Racial Equality Council 178,980 
			 Race Equality Sandwell 67,940 
			 Somerset Race Equality Council 190,920 
			 Victim First 214,131 
			 The Monitoring Group 512,263 
			 Preston Muslim Forum 74,125 
			 Race Equality First 90,510 
			 Oldham Race Equality Partnership 274,746 
			 Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council 250,265 
			 London Action Trust 361,000 
			 Gay Advice Darlington 108,657 
			 Birmingham Race Action Monitoring Unit (BRAMU) 156,000 
			 Inclusion North 167,145 
			 Furness Multicultural Community Forum 83,550 
			 Tendring and Colchester Minority Ethnic Partnership 193,775 
			 Disability Cornwall 146,555 
			 Pukar Disability Resource Centre 111,527 
			 South East Wales Racial Equality Council 371,893 
			 Platform 51 243,343 
			 Disability Action Waltham Forest 398,395 
			 Norwich and Norfolk Racial Equality Council 350,000 
			 Torfaen People's First 134,675 
			 Manchester Sudanese Tree Development Community 79,300 
			 Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership 137,800 
			 British Afghan Women's Society 45,000 
			 Sahara Project Preston 127,749 
			 Peterborough Racial Equality Council 164,324 
			 Specialist Mediation in Lancashire East 114,840 
			 Victim Support 1,289,250 
			 Dare to Care 299,610 
			 WECIL ltd 321,138 
			 Step Forward (Tower Hamlets) 189,335 
			 Anthony Walker Foundation 0 
			 Gender Identity Research and Education Society 60,160 
			 VOICE UK and Victim Support 610,439 
		
	
	
		
			 Homicide 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 National Victims' Association 108,761 
			 Mothers Against Murder and Aggression (MAMAA) 278,909 
			 Support After Murder and Manslaughter (National) 460,583 
			 Lucie Blackman Trust 231,900 
			 Support After Murder and Manslaughter (Merseyside) 94,400 
		
	
	
		
			 Through Unity 116,215 
		
	
	
		
			 Non-specific crime 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 New Horizons Counselling Service 140,000 
			 Liberty from Addiction 85,118 
			 The Relationship Centre 111,064 
			 Peterborough Citizen's Advice Bureau 155,094 
			 London Irish Women's Centre 141,393 
			 Catch22 247,500 
			 North Wales Women's Centre 103,884 
			 Breckfield and North Everton Neighbourhood Council 342,240 
			 Remedi 692,015 
			 Bournemouth People First 157,051 
			 Women's Enterprising Breakthrough 379,509 
			 Southwark Law centre 148,685 
			 Women's Enterprising Breakthrough 205,460 
			 South Liverpool Regeneration 127,160 
			 Horton Housing 720,709 
			 Gwent Bobby Van Trust 194,220 
			 Church of England Children's Society 735,566 
			 No Limits (Southampton) 161,508 
			 Southwark Neighbour Dispute Mediation Scheme 215,128 
			 Mentor Achieve Leam Support 60,000 
			 New Choices for Youth 213,194 
			 Bridge Chapel Centre 46,800 
			 Compass 90,000 
			 Human Relations Network 83,700 
			 Platform 51 243,813 
			 Cobalt Housing Association 500,000 
			 Charlton Athletic Community Trust 165,320 
			 Amber Training Advisory Support Service 321,000 
			 Consortico 238,864 
			 Network for Surviving Stalking 71,810 
		
	
	
		
			 Road traffic 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Support and Care After Road Death and Injury 80,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Robbery and burglary 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 CASAC Leeds 2,483,500 
			 Victim Support 600,000 
			 Wigan Citizen's Advice Service 160,420 
			 Victim Support 859,938 
		
	
	
		
			 Sexual violence 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Walsall Street Teams 93,424 
			 AIM Project 198,500 
			 CIS'ters 150,000 
			 Survivors Manchester 201,422 
		
	
	
		
			 Nottingham Women's Counselling Service 131,000 
			 Child Victims of Crime 36,240 
			 SALT South West 48,052 
			 Womankind, Bristol Women's Therapy Centre 140,104 
			 Survivors Helping Each Other 137,691 
			 The Nia Project (East London) 110,968 
			 Manchester Rape Crisis 114,473 
			 The Lantern Project 104,700 
			 Survive (Survivors of Sexual Abuse in North Yorkshire) 62,620 
			 Survivors (Hull and East Riding) 240,420 
			 Barnardos (Wales) 727,932 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Guildford) 100,776 
			 The NIA Project - Haringey 129,668 
			 West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre 178,040 
			 Supportline 37,000 
			 The Margaret Jackson Trust 100,121 
			 MOSAC 129,423 
			 Southall Black Sisters 151,614 
			 SEREN 121,979 
			 Coalition for the Removal of Pimping (CROP) 262,519 
			 New Pathways 255,717 
			 Mothers4Mothers 371,160 
			 Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service 154,417 
			 Birmingham Rape and Sexual Violence Project 419,626 
			 New Pathways 129,576 
			 GROW 263,123 
			 New Pathways 52,106 
			 Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service 136,837 
			 Aurora Health Foundation 128,280 
			 Brighton Women's Centre 161,663 
			 Someone Cares 94,215 
			 Revival Support Services 176,389 
			 One25 197,100 
			 Eaves Housing for Women 124,711 
			 Blackpool Advocacy 160,500 
			 Barnardos 1,305,254 
			 Rotunda Ltd 151,076 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Croydon) 135,000 
			 The Survivors Trust 117,915 
			 Savana 141,862 
			 Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Cornwall) 121,000 
			 Sexual Abuse and Incest Line (SAIL) 84,544 
			 Rape Crisis (Wycombe, Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire) 112,844 
			 Respond 112,425 
			 One in Four 284,891 
			 West Cumbria Rape Crisis 120,568 
			 East Kent Rape Line 119,601 
			 The Foxton Centre 53,330 
			 Clinic for Boundaries Studies (Professional Boundaries) 92,833 
			 Family Matters 256,291 
		
	
	
		
			 Violent crime 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 3   year   funding sought 
			 Barnardo's (Liverpool) 428,332 
			 Safe n Sound Youth Project 344,742 
			 Victim Support 155,000

EDUCATION

Child Protection Review

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the recommendations of the Munro Report.

Tim Loughton: The final report of Professor Munro's review of child protection reflects months of careful work and extensive consultation. Her recommendations are wide-ranging. It is important that we consider carefully, with professionals themselves, how best to respond in order to bring about the sustainable, long-term reform needed.
	I have therefore established an implementation working group with key individuals from the social work profession, local government, health, police, justice, education and the voluntary sector. This group met for the first time on 25 May and will work with us to develop a response to Professor Munro's report by the summer, informed by their collective expertise and by the experience from the local authorities which are trialling more flexible approaches.
	In developing our response, we will consider the costs of options for implementation as well as the benefits to be secured through, for example, reductions in unnecessary bureaucracy and regulation.
	The Government have already announced that the Children's Workforce Development Council has been remitted to spend a minimum of £43.9 million on the Social Work Improvement Fund in this financial year. This is an increase on the £23 million distributed through the Social Work Improvement Fund in 2010-11.

Children: Day Care

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much each local authority allows in flexible free entitlement grants to attend day care nurseries in 2011-12.

Sarah Teather: Local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forums, decide how best to distribute 3-16 funding across their locality. This includes setting funding rates to providers of free early education, including day care nurseries. Local authorities are required to report on financial expenditure through section 251 returns. Data on individual local authority spend for 2011-12 are not yet available, but will be published later in the year.

Children: Protection

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on the effectiveness of child protection of reductions in support from the public purse for the voluntary sector.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has not made its own assessment. However I am pleased that as part of the Department's Voluntary and Community Sector grant announced on 25 February, the Department is awarding around £10 million over the two years 2011-12 and 2012-13 to help 17 voluntary organisations tackle the child protection and safeguarding needs of children and young people. This grant is one of a range of funding streams from the Department to the voluntary sector, including a new grant agreement announced on 15 February 2011 to support NSPCC with £11.2 million between 2011-15 for continued investment in ChildLine and the NSPCC HelpLine.

Children: Protection

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on the effectiveness of child protection of reductions in local authority budgets.

Tim Loughton: It is for local authorities to determine the allocation of their resources and I am sure that in doing so they will be taking into account both their statutory responsibilities and the needs of the most vulnerable children and young people. The Department for Education has not made its own assessment, but I am aware of the research that has been carried out by other organisations. I am pleased that this research suggests that in making difficult decisions, most local authorities are taking steps to protect the most vulnerable children.

Children's Centres

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether community schools may use Sure Start Children's Centres to assist in the delivery of the curriculum.

Nick Gibb: Community schools may use Sure Start Children's Centres to assist in the delivery of the curriculum. The Government are keen for schools and others to use their professional judgment to decide how to deliver the curriculum to meet the needs of their pupils.
	Children's centres play a valuable role in making integrated services available for young children and their families, particularly for those in greatest need. The Government want to retain a network of children's centres and are giving local authorities and schools greater flexibility to enable them to design services which meet the needs of local communities.

Classroom Assistants: Pay

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what guidance his Department has provided to schools on the payment of salary increases to teaching assistants earning less than £21,000 per annum;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of state schools which have not paid salary increases to the teaching assistants and technicians earning below £21,000 in 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: No such assessment has been made centrally. Central Government do not have a role in determining salary, or salary increases for school support staff, including teaching assistants and technicians nor have they provided guidance to schools in respect of the payment of salary increases for any school support staff.
	Matters related to school support staff pay are decided locally by the local authority for community and voluntary controlled schools and the governing body for foundation and voluntary-aided schools. Salaries of school support staff in academies are a matter for individual institutions.

Crown Relocations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts his Department holds with Crown Relocations; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education does not hold any current contracts for Crown Relocations.

Departmental Public Appointments

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to publish the relevant financial and non-financial interests of members of his Department's independent review panels; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not collect this information. The appointment of members to the Department's independent review panels is based on their professional expertise. Before making the appointment, Ministers would consider the suitability of an appointee particularly where there may be a conflict of interest or if the appointment may have an adverse impact on the review.
	Any remuneration given to appointed panel members for their roles on independent reviews is available on the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews

English Baccalaureate: GCSE

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the potential change in takeup of GCSE and A-level courses in each subject attributable to the introduction of the English Baccalaureate.

Nick Gibb: The effect of the English Baccalaureate will depend on decisions taken by individual schools and pupils. It is one of a number of measures to ensure that pupils are given the chance to take the qualifications that will best help them progress to further education and employment.
	The Government do not require schools to provide them with detailed information on pupils' GCSE choices. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the English Baccalaureate measure is having a positive effect, with more schools making the combination of subjects open to more pupils. There are a range of information sources, from exam entries to workforce information, which will help us judge the impact of the English Baccalaureate. We will make full use of these in keeping the policy under review.

G4S

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts his Department holds with G4S; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education does not hold any current contracts with G4S.

GCSE

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what number and percentage of children (a) receiving and (b) not receiving free school meals attained five grade A*-C GCSEs, including English and mathematics, excluding equivalents, in each local authority area in each year since 2001.

Nick Gibb: The data requested for each year since 2004/05 have been placed in the House Libraries.
	It is not possible to provide figures for 2000/01 to 2003/04. The National Pupil Database only exists from 2002/03 onwards, and for 2002/03 and 2003/04 information on whether a pupil achieved 5 A*-C grades including English and mathematics was not recorded in a readily accessible form. Generating that information can be produced only at disproportionate cost.

GCSE: Reading Berkshire

Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many pupils in each (a) school and (b) local authority ward in Reading achieved five A*-C grades at GCSE including English and mathematics in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many pupils in each (a) school and (b) local authority ward in Reading achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE in each year since 1997.

Nick Gibb: The information requested for the years 2005/06 to 2009/10 is shown in the following tables. Figures for previous years back to 1996/97 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Achievements at GCSE and equivalent for pupils  (1,2)   at the end of key stage 4 by ward  (3)   in Reading local authority— Years: 2005/06 to 2009/10—Coverage: Maintained schools (including Academies and CTCs)  (4) 
			   Total number of pupils at the end of KS4 Number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C grades Number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C grades including English and maths GCSEs 
			 Church ward 2005/06 129 64 55 
			  2006/07 109 49 42 
		
	
	
		
			  2007/08 126 67 61 
			  2008/09 131 62 48 
			  2009/10 127 98 57 
			      
			 Katesgrove ward 2005/06 115 95 95 
			  2006/07 103 93 93 
			  2007/08 97 97 97 
			  2008/09 95 (5)— (5)— 
			  2009/10 92 92 92 
			      
			 Norcot ward 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2007/08 10 0 0 
			  2008/09 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			      
			 Redlands ward 2005/06 133 124 124 
			  2006/07 132 125 125 
			  2007/08 136 123 123 
			  2008/09 138 124 124 
			  2009/10 132 123 123 
			      
			 Southcote ward 2005/06 406 188 118 
			  2006/07 439 229 139 
			  2007/08 367 229 131 
			  2008/09 335 232 118 
			  2009/10 305 249 120 
			      
			 Thames ward 2005/06 164 79 74 
			  2006/07 189 105 86 
			  2007/08 183 99 93 
			  2008/09 180 124 109 
			  2009/10 225 146 117 
			      
			 Tilehurst ward 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2007/08 n/a n/a n/a 
			  2008/09 (5)— (5)— (5)— 
			  2009/10 (5)— (5)— (5)— 
			      
			 Whitley ward 2005/06 78 25 11 
			  2006/07 60 18 4 
			  2007/08 72 34 17 
			  2008/09 78 43 14 
			  2009/10 100 58 28 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. (2) In 2010 iGCSEs, accredited at time of publication, have been counted as GCSE equivalents and also as English and mathematics GCSEs. (3) Census Area Statistics (CAS) wards were created for 2001 Census outputs. The Department reports using the CAS Wards because they allow us to report ward level data on a consistent geographic basis. One of the weaknesses associated with reporting data using administrative wards is that the boundaries for administrative wards can change on a frequent basis. This makes it difficult to compare data at ward level over time. (4) School figures include all schools, whilst ward figures include maintained schools (including CTCs and academies) only. For this reason, data for some schools is not included in the ward table, and also pupil numbers in schools do not always sum up to the total number of pupils in the ward. (5) Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. Source: National Pupil Database (final data) 
		
	
	
		
			 Achievements at GCSE and equivalent for pupils  (1, 2 )  at the end of key stage 4 by school in Reading local authority— Years: 2005/06 to 2009/10—Coverage: All schools  (3) 
			Total number of pupils at the end of KS4 Number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C grades Number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C grades including English and maths GCSEs 
			 Bulmershe and Whitegates ward SWAAY School 2005/06 4 (4)— (4)— 
			   2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2007/08 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2008/09 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			       
			 Caversham ward Hemdean House School 2005/06 8 (4)— (4)— 
			   2006/07 19 18 16 
			   2007/08 11 10 10 
			   2008/09 12 9 9 
			   2009/10 10 (4)— (4)— 
			       
			 Church ward Leighton Park School 2005/06 80 76 68 
			   2006/07 81 77 70 
			   2007/08 94 92 87 
			   2008/09 79 75 72 
			   2009/10 71 68 64 
			       
			  Reading Girls' School 2005/06 129 64 55 
			   2006/07 109 49 42 
			   2007/08 127 67 61 
			   2008/09 131 62 48 
			   2009/10 128 98 57 
			       
			 Katesgrove ward Kendrick Girls' Grammar School 2005/06 95 95 95 
			   2006/07 94 93 93 
			   2007/08 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2008/09 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			       
			  Kendrick School 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2007/08 97 97 97 
			   2008/09 95 94 94 
			   2009/10 92 92 92 
			       
			 Redlands ward Phoenix College 2005/06 9 (4)— (4)— 
			   2006/07 7 (4)— (4)— 
			   2007/08 13 0 0 
			   2008/09 14 0 0 
			   2009/10 9 (4)— (4)— 
			       
			  Reading School 2005/06 124 124 124 
			   2006/07 125 125 125 
			   2007/08 123 123 123 
			   2008/09 124 124 124 
			   2009/10 123 123 123 
			       
			  St Joseph's Convent School 2005/06 35 34 31 
			   2006/07 36 35 35 
			   2007/08 29 27 26 
			   2008/09 18 25 25 
		
	
	
		
			   2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			       
			  St Joseph's College 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2007/08 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2008/09 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2009/10 33 33 32 
			       
			  The Abbey School Reading 2005/06 100 100 100 
			   2006/07 104 104 104 
			   2007/08 105 105 105 
			   2008/09 97 96 96 
			   2009/10 109 109 109 
			       
			 Southcote ward Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School 2005/06 143 75 54 
			   2006/07 149 68 44 
			   2007/08 140 71 47 
			   2008/09 136 83 46 
			   2009/10 127 102 43 
			       
			  The Elvian School 2005/06 25 18 18 
			   2006/07 20 17 2 
			   2007/08 30 19 17 
			   2008/09 21 18 15 
			   2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			       
			  Prospect College 2005/06 263 113 64 
			   2006/07 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2007/08 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2008/09 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2009/10 n/a n/a n/a 
			       
			  Prospect School 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2006/07 292 161 95 
			   2007/08 230 158 84 
			   2008/09 201 149 72 
			   2009/10 181 147 77 
			       
			 Thames ward Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre 2005/06 163 79 74 
			   2006/07 189 105 86 
			   2007/08 183 99 93 
			   2008/09 180 124 109 
			   2009/10 225 146 117 
			       
			  Queen Anne's School 2005/06 65 65 63 
			   2006/07 54 52 9 
			   2007/08 51 51 0 
			   2008/09 35 36 0 
			   2009/10 53 51 0 
			       
			 Tilehurst ward The Avenue School 2005/06 20 0 0 
			   2006/07 9 (4)— (4)— 
		
	
	
		
			   2007/08 10 (4)— (4)— 
			   2008/09 (4)— (4)— (4)— 
			   2009/10 (4)— (4)— (4)— 
			       
			 Whitley ward John Madejski Academy 2005/06 n/a n/a n/a 
			   2006/07 60 18 4 
			   2007/08 73 34 17 
			   2008/09 78 43 14 
			   2009/10 100 58 28 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. (2) In 2010 iGCSEs, accredited at time of publication, have been counted as GCSE equivalents and also as English and mathematics GCSEs. 3. School figures include all schools, whilst ward figures include maintained schools (including CTCs and academies) only. For this reason, data for some schools is not included in the ward table, and also pupil numbers in schools do not always sum up to the total number of pupils in the ward. (4) Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. Source: School and College Performance Tables (final data)

Home Education

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many hours per week of home tuition was provided on average to pupils under alternative provision in each local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 9 June 2011
	The Department for Education does not collect data on this issue. It is for local authorities to determine whether a pupil should have home tuition and, if so, the number of hours that is appropriate for that pupil. Department for Education guidance sets out that pupils who cannot attend school because of ill-health should receive a minimum of five hours home tuition each week but that they should be offered as many hours as they can cope with, up to full-time education.
	We have taken measures to commence section 3A of the Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 from September 2011. This section re-defined the section 19 duty, to the effect that the education should be full-time for all pupils in alternative provision, unless there are reasons which relate to the physical or mental health of the child which would mean that this would not be in the child's best interests. Until now, only permanently excluded pupils have had an entitlement to full-time provision.

IBM

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts his Department holds with IBM; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not hold a current contract with IBM but it did make a payment of £97,563 to them in this financial year for a licence agreement to use their software for the majority of the Department's analytical requirements.

Primary Education: Admissions

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what powers the governors of a state primary school have to increase the intake of that school; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Whether the governors of a maintained school have the power to increase its intake will depend on the category of the school concerned. School admission arrangements are set and applied locally by the relevant admission authority. For community and voluntary controlled schools the admission authority is usually the local authority (LA), for foundation and voluntary aided schools it is the governing body and for Academies it is the Academy Trust.
	Under the Code currently in force, all schools must have a published admission number (PAN) for each ‘relevant age group’ in which pupils are, or would normally be, admitted to the school. The PAN forms part of the admission arrangements for the school and, as such, must be consulted on with their local community. Admission authorities of maintained schools must set admission numbers with regard to the capacity assessment for the school. Once an admission number has been set by the admission authority, maintained schools should not admit children above the PAN without the agreement of the local authority.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education launched a 12 week consultation on 27 May 2011 on a revised Schools Admission and Appeals Codes. As part of that consultation, we intend to make it easier for all schools, particularly those that are popular with parents, to increase their PAN, and thereby offer more places to parents.

Research

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2011, Official Report, columns 628-32W, on research, whom he has consulted on the decision to reduce funding for (a) the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England, (b) the National Evaluation of Sure Start Impact Study and (c) the Understanding Society programme.

Nick Gibb: The Department engages in an analytical planning process that involves consultation with a range of interested parties in the wider research and academic communities. Prioritising funding for longitudinal data collections is included in that process and each of the studies highlighted will have been considered in this process.
	The Longitudinal Study of Young People in England
	The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) was consulted about the Department's decision to stop funding the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England. The Department made the decision because the age of the cohort (now 20 to 21 years old) takes it outside the remit of the Department. Discussions are continuing with the ESRC about maintaining contact with the cohort in the longer term and adding more information via data linkage.
	The National Evaluation of Sure Start Impact Study
	Funding for the National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS) Impact Study has not been reduced. The existing contract was intended to support the completion of assessments of the children at seven years old. The Department has decided not to continue the study beyond this survey of children at seven years of age, as it was designed to look at the impact of the former Sure Start Local Programmes. The current Sure Start Children's Centre model is different from the earlier programmes and the Department is continuing to fund the new Evaluation of Children's Centres in England (ECCE).
	Understanding Society
	The Department felt that it was important to support the initial development of Understanding Society. However, there had been a commitment that this funding would be ongoing.

Schools: Admissions

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the merits of extending the exception in paragraph 2.44 of the Schools Admission Code to include ministers of religion.

Nick Gibb: Paragraph 2.44 of the School Admissions Code requires school admission authorities to treat the children of UK service personnel and other Crown servants posted overseas as being resident in their area as soon as they have proof of posting. This is to ensure that such children do not suffer any disadvantage in the admissions system as a result of their frequent mobility. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education launched a 12 week consultation that will run until 19 August, and we will consider any evidence submitted through that consultation as to the merits of extending the exception to include ministers of religion.

Schools: Hearing Impairment

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the level of provision of video relay services in schools for the hearing impaired.

Sarah Teather: The Department for Education has not made an assessment of the level of provision of video relay services in special schools for pupils with hearing impairments. It is for individual schools to decide whether video relay service, or other assistive technologies and forms of support, might be the most appropriate means for facilitating communication and learning in the classroom for individual pupils.

Schools: Hearing Impairment

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of deaf pupils in schools in England.

Sarah Teather: The available information is shown in the following table.
	This includes pupils with a hearing impairment ranging from those with a mild hearing loss to those who are profoundly deaf. It is not possible to differentiate between types of hearing impairment.
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools and pupil referral units  (1, 2, 3)  —Number of pupils whose type o  f special educational needs (SEN)   is hearing impairment  (4, 5, 6)  —As at January 2010 in England 
			  Number of pupils with hearing impairment  (4, 5, 6) 
			  School Action Plus Statement of SEN Total 
			 Primary SEN type 9,145 6,440 15,585 
			 Secondary SEN type 1,725 1,820 3,545 
			 Total 10,865 8,260 19,125 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Includes solely registered pupils. In pupil referral units, includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (5) Pupils at School Action Plus and those with a statement of SEN provided information on their primary need and, if appropriate, secondary need. (6) Includes pupils with a hearing impairment ranging from those with a mild hearing loss to those who are profoundly deaf. It is not possible to differentiate between types of hearing impairment. Notes: 1. Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. 2. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent parts and their totals. Source: School Census

Schools: Work Experience

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) state schools and (b) academies have operated work experience programmes for whole year groups in each of the last three years.

Nick Gibb: These data are not collected centrally or locally.
	However, the Education Business Partnership services annual data return does provide information on type and duration of work experience placements for young people. In academic year 2009/10, the latest year for which data are available, some 527,000 pupils undertook around 532,000 work experience placements (the figures indicating that some pupils undertook more than one placement).
	The majority of placements were for Year 10 students (78.4%) with Year 11 students accounting for 17.1% of placements and 4.5% of placements being for post-16 students. Over half (55%) of students undertook work experience placements lasting 10 days or more.

Teachers: Arts

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) music, (b) art and (c) drama teachers were working in schools in the academic year (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and how many he expects to be working in schools in 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 9 June 2011
	Information on the qualifications and deployment of teachers in the secondary sector was collected in the annual School Workforce Census, which took place in November 2010 for the first time. The number of teachers reported to be teaching music, drama and art in November 2010 is given in the table.
	
		
			 Number (headcount) of music, art and drama teachers  (1)   in all publicly funded secondary schools— Position in November 2010—Coverage: England 
			 Subject Headcount of in-service teachers Of these, teachers holding a relevant  (2)   post A-level qualification 
			 Music 7,500 6,500 
			 Drama 11,100 5,500 
			 Art and Design 13,200 11,400 
			 Base: 158,004 teachers to years seven-13 (unweighted headcount). (1) Teachers were counted once against each subject that they were teaching, regardless of the amount of time they spend teaching the subject. (2) A full list of what was deemed as a 'relevant' qualification subject for each curriculum subject taught can be found on the School Workforce Statistical First Release website here. Note: 1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100. Source: School Workforce Census 
		
	
	In previous years information on the deployment of teachers was collected via the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS), an occasional survey most recently run in 1992, 1996, 2002 and 2007. However, due to low sample sizes and variations in the methodology used to collect information in each of the SSCSS surveys, the numbers of teachers between years are not directly comparable.
	The number of teachers that schools employ in future years will, as now, be a matter for them to decide, according to local needs and subject to statutory requirements on class sizes where appropriate. For funding purposes, the Department has produced overall estimates of teaching posts in state schools and academies in England.
	The Government do not produce estimates of the future numbers of teaching posts in particular subjects. Estimates of the proportion of teachers working in secondary schools who will be qualified in different subjects are however produced as part of the Department for Education's teacher supply and demand modelling process.
	Estimates for the future number of specialist music teachers in state funded secondary schools indicate that there will be a decrease of around 100 by 2011/12. A similar decrease is expected in the number of specialist art teachers. This is in line with a decreasing requirement for secondary teachers as a result of the ongoing decline in secondary pupil numbers.
	Separate forecasts have not been made for drama teachers. For the purposes of teacher supply modelling, English and drama are treated as one subject category.

HEALTH

Action on Smoking and Health: Finance

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether funding allocated to Action on Smoking and Health by his Department may be used for lobbying purposes by that body.

Anne Milton: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has received funding from the Department in the past, through the Department's ‘Section 64 General Scheme of Grants to voluntary and Community Organisations’. ASH received these grants specifically to carry out defined projects.
	None of this funding was, or could be used, for lobbying purposes.

Art Therapy

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many art therapists were engaged to work in NHS hospitals in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the number of such therapists engaged to work in hospitals in each of the next three years.

Simon Burns: It is not possible to split the NHS Information Centre Workforce Census figures between hospital and non-hospital based staff. The following table gives the number of qualified art, music, and drama therapists employed in NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in the years requested, as it is not possible to isolate art therapy staff from this group.
	
		
			 National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services: qualified art, music, drama therapy staff employed in England by organisation type as at 30 September 2010 
			 Headcount 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 All qualified art/music/drama therapy staff 758 737 691 
			 Primary care trusts 107 89 80 
			 Trusts 651 648 616 
			 Notes: 1. It is not possible to split Workforce Census figures between hospital and non-hospital based staff. It is generally assumed that those staff based in NHS Trusts are engaged in more hospital based work. 2. It is not possible to isolate art therapy staff from the art, music, drama therapy area of work. 2010 headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. 3. Staff may work in both a PCT and a trust, therefore they will be counted once in a trust and once in a PCT, however for the headcount figure for England they will only be counted once. 4. The new headcount methodology for 2010 data is not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication at:  www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff0010/Census_Bulletin_March_2011_Final.pdf. Source:  The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 2010 Non-Medical Workforce Census. 
		
	
	It is for local NHS organisations, with their knowledge of the health needs of their local populations to employ the staff required that best meets those needs in future years.

Care Quality Commission: Manpower

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Care Quality Commission has (a) reduced its staffing levels and (b) removed its learning disability experts.

Simon Burns: The following information has been provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
	Reductions in the CQC's staffing levels have focused mainly on management posts and headquarter functions rather than frontline posts, 2,078 employees transferred to the CQC from its legacy commissions. The current establishment of the CQC is 1,924.
	To manage the new registration system the CQC restructured its field force in the summer of 2010. This restructure allowed the CQC to focus its resource towards the frontline and resulted in the CQC removing a layer of middle management and increasing inspector autonomy and accountability.
	The CQC has not reduced its frontline headcount.
	The CQC has also advised it never had a dedicated learning disability expert post. However, the CQC has a learning disability committee to advise it. This committee will include learning disability experts.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategic framework his Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period.

Simon Burns: Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the Department's functions will change as a result of the modernisation process. We will be reviewing the Department's Operating Model to determine which functions the Department should continue to fulfil, and which should be moved to other organisations. It is therefore likely that some functions will be transferred to other organisations and the Department will take on some new ones. The exact timing and nature of these changes will not be confirmed until decisions have been taken about the precise role and structures of all the organisations in the new system.

Diabetes: Eyesight

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has any plans to develop a NHS outcomes indicator for diabetic macular oedema.

Simon Burns: We have no current plans to develop an indicator for diabetic macular oedema. In developing “The NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12”, we selected outcomes and indicators with a view to creating a balanced set of national outcome goals, which reflect the breadth of treatment activity for which the national health service is responsible. It is therefore not possible to include outcome indicators for all specific diseases and long-term conditions.
	Although there is not a specific outcome indicator for diabetic macular oedema in the NHS Outcomes Framework, we would expect progress to be captured under Domain 2: Enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions. This domain of the framework seeks to capture those outcomes that an individual with any long-term condition would consider important. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard for Diabetes in adults will help to improve outcomes for people with diabetic macular oedema.

Diabetes: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetes specialist nurses were practising in the Peterborough Primary Care Trust area in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The employment of diabetic specialist nurses is a matter for the national health service locally and as such, the information requested is not centrally collected.
	The hon. Member may wish to contact Peterborough Primary Care Trust direct.

General Practitioners

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the monetary value to GP practices of (a) smoking cessation services, (b) contraceptive services and (c) other locally-enhanced services commissioned by primary care trusts was in (i) the first quarter of 2011 and (ii) the last quarter of 2010.

Paul Burstow: Pricing of individual local enhanced services is a local matter for determination and no detailed information is collected or held centrally. However, aggregated financial returns from primary care trusts (PCTs) from the 2009-10 final accounts show total expenditure on local enhanced services by PCTs was £339 million.
	Final audit returns for 2010-11 will be available later this summer, and is expected to continue to show overall increased expenditure by PCTs on local enhanced services. The position for this year (2011-12) is too early to predict and will not be definitively known until after the close of the financial year when audited accounts are submitted by PCTs.

Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Louise Mensch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the rate of travel and subsistence reclaimable by war pensioners from the NHS is; and on what date the rates were most recently changed;
	(2)  whether he has considered the merits of increasing the rate of subsistence reclaimable by war pensioners from the NHS.

Paul Burstow: Patient transport and healthcare travel cost support from the national health service is available to all eligible NHS patients and is not a specific allowance for war pensioners or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients. The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) has a scheme to reimburse hospital travelling expenses to war pensioners.
	NHS non-urgent transport is provided via Patient Transport Services (PTS) that are maintained by NHS Commissioners (primary care trusts). These are generally booked by relevant secondary or community services medical professionals. Eligibility for non-urgent transport is based upon clinical need and is available free to all NHS patients.
	The Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is designed to help with travel costs and arrangements for all NHS patients on low incomes. The HTCS is for those who do not medically require PTS but require help in meeting the cost of travel to and from NHS medical care. The HTCS is means tested for low-income earners, with those on a range of low-income benefits automatically entitled. This scheme is constituted under the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 as amended.
	The HTCS will reimburse all or some of the travel costs depending on eligibility. If the patient is entitled to qualifying benefits or allowances they will get back the full travel costs by using the cheapest form of public transport available, including any concessions or promotions. If the patient uses a private car, a claim for petrol and car parking charges where unavoidable, can be made at the mileage rate specified under the local HTCS. Rates are determined locally.
	The HTCS will apply for war pensioners receiving treatment for conditions other than those for which they receive a war pension. It does not apply in cases where war pensioners obtain treatment for conditions caused by service for which they are in receipt of a war pension. In those cases, expenses may be met by the SPVA who will apply their eligibility criteria to individual cases. The SPVA align their travel allowances with those of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The HMRC have not changed these allowances since 2007 and therefore the SPVA allowances have also remained constant.

Hospitals: North West England

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with (a) the North West Strategic Health Authority, (b) Warrington and Halton NHS Trust and (c) others on potential hospital mergers in the North West.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to her on 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 428-41W, by the Minister of State, Department of Health, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow).
	No formal discussions have taken place between Ministers and the North West Strategic Health Authority, Warrington and Halton NHS Trust and others focusing on potential hospital mergers in the North West of England.
	However, in relation to NHS trusts in the north-west seeking to obtain foundation trust status, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health met my hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham and Sale West (Mr Brady) on 8 June 2011 about Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust.
	Additionally, I met the hon. Members for Copeland (Mr Reed) and Workington (Tony Cunningham) on 5 April 2011 and my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Rory Stewart) on 17 May 2011 about North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Maternity Services: Manpower

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the shortfall in maternity-related health workers and professionals nationally; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to plan and deliver a workforce appropriate to the needs of their local population, based on clinical need and sound evidence.
	The Centre for Workforce Intelligence, which was established to provide advice and information to the NHS on workforce matters, has been commissioned to report on the maternity workforce during 2011-12 to inform future local workforce planning and commissioning decisions.

Meat Hygiene

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has made an assessment for benchmarking purposes of the level of charges to abattoirs for regulation of meat hygiene controls in other European countries.

Anne Milton: Policy responsibility for meat hygiene controls lies with the Food Standards Agency (FSA). We are advised by the FSA that a recent study undertaken for the European Commission on fees collected by the member states to cover the costs of official food controls, including meat hygiene controls, identified significant variation in the charging systems and charging rates across the European Union (EU). The Commission subsequently started a review of EU charging rules, to which the FSA is actively contributing. The Commission is expected to reach a conclusion in the first quarter of 2012.

Mental Illness: Health Education

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve public understanding of mental health issues.

Paul Burstow: One of the key objectives of the cross-Government mental health strategy “No Health Without Mental Health”, is that fewer people will experience stigma and discrimination and that public understanding of mental health will improve. As a result, negative attitudes and behaviours to people with mental health problems will decrease.
	Comic Relief and The Big Lottery have funded a major anti-stigma campaign, “Time to Change”, led by Mind and Rethink and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry. The programme of 35 projects aims to inspire people to work together to end the discrimination surrounding mental health.
	We know, from discussions with voluntary and private sector organisations, that there is an appetite for an even more ambitious programme. We will give this ‘social movement’ our full support, and active participation and are in discussion now with Mind to decide how the “Time to Change” programme may evolve in the future.

NHS: Redundancy

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed by (a) Warrington Primary Care Trust and (b) the North West Strategic Health Authority have taken voluntary redundancy in the last 12 months; and what the total cost to the public purse of these redundancies was.

Simon Burns: Information on the number of voluntary redundancies for Warrington Primary Care Trust and the North West Strategic Health Authority is only available for the period June 2010 to March 2011. Data from the electronic staff record show there have been no voluntary redundancies in either organisation over this period.

NHS: Reorganisation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse of his listening exercise on NHS reform has been.

Paul Burstow: Up to 13 June 2011 the costs invoiced for the NHS Listening Exercise was £36,640.97. This includes costs relating to the expenses incurred by the 45 NHS Future Forum members and to the rest of the Listening exercise, for example national, regional and local listening events and Future Forum meetings.
	The sums have been met from the Department's allocated budget.

NHS: Reorganisation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he plans to publish a revised estimate of the likely cost of his proposals for NHS reorganisation;
	(2)  what plans he has to reexamine the cost of the proposed reorganisation of the NHS.

Paul Burstow: The Government will publish a revised impact assessment for the Health and Social Care Bill in due course, reflecting the changes we propose to make in response to the NHS Future Forum.

Organ Donor Register Review

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made in implementing each of the recommendations in Professor Sir Gordon Duff's review of the organ donor register.

Anne Milton: Professor Sir Gordon Duff made a number of recommendations addressed to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which were designed to ensure that the Organ Donor Register (ODR) reflects more clearly the wishes of those registered and that confidence in the system is maintained. NHSBT has been taking action to implement the recommendations and good progress has been made. For example, NHSBT is in the process of scoping and costing a new future operating model for the ODR as recommended. NHSBT will issue a formal response to Professor Sir Gordon Duff’s report in the autumn.

Organs: Donors

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the reasons next of kin do not consent to organ donation.

Anne Milton: Following the publication of the Organ Donation Taskforce report in 2008, the Department convened an Organ Donation Commissioning Research Group to explore where there remained gaps in knowledge in relation to organ donation. The Group concluded that there would be benefits in commissioning further research into factors that influence a bereaved family's decision regarding organ donation.
	The Department has worked in partnership with the national health service and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to fund studies into these issues. This includes:
	the Donation, Transplantation and Ethnic Minorities (DonaTE) programme. This work is being undertaken by Kings College London and funded through a NIHR Programme Grant for four years from October 2009 (£863,000). The programme aims to increase the rates of donation among South Asian and African-Caribbean ethnic minorities, through researching attitudes and barriers to organ donation within these communities. This will then help to inform the development of a training programme which will increase health care professionals' confidence and competence in conducting consent conditions with ethnic minority families; and
	the Family Attitudes Towards Donation programme. This work is being undertaken by the University of Wolverhampton and aims to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence a family's decision regarding organ donation from a United Kingdom population perspective. The Department has provided £182,000 to support this work, which we anticipate will be completed by spring 2013. The findings will further help inform training for healthcare professionals in approaching families and the organ donation service design.

Osteopathy

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the standardisation of collection of data on osteopathic treatments; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to make decisions on the commissioning and funding of complementary and alternative therapies, including osteopathy treatments, taking account of issues to do with safety, clinical and cost-effectiveness and the availability of suitably qualified/regulated practitioners. A search of the Department’s database has not shown any recent parliamentary questions or correspondence on the standardisation of collection of data on osteopathic treatments.

Pharmacy

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the monetary value to community pharmacists of (a) smoking cessation services, (b) contraceptive services and (c) other locally-enhanced services commissioned by primary care trusts was in (i) the first quarter of 2011 and (b) the last quarter of 2010.

Paul Burstow: Enhanced services such as stop smoking and sexual health services are commissioned from community pharmacies by primary care trusts to meet local need. The level of payment for such services is determined locally and information on the value of these contracts is not collected centrally.

Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure the future of the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine as an NHS centre for research into the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines.

Simon Burns: Researchers at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine can apply to the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for research funding. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including complementary therapies. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.

Scarborough Hospital: Television

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the NHS facilities which have been made available for the purpose of making television programmes at Scarborough hospital; what fee has been paid to the Hospital Trust by the television company or companies concerned; and how many members of staff are involved in supporting or appearing on television in respect of this programme;
	(2)  which (a) rooms, (b) wards and (c) other facilities at Scarborough hospital are being used by a television company for the purposes of recording television programmes; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what information his Department holds on the number of hours spent by staff employed at Scarborough hospital on assisting in the production of television programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department does not routinely collect information on filming arrangements made between national health service trusts and television companies. Agreements of this nature are a matter for the NHS locally and as such, my right hon. Friend may wish to approach the chief executive of Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which may hold some relevant information.

Social Services: Finance

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to monitor expenditure by local authorities on social care.

Paul Burstow: Local government expenditure on social care is collected annually by the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care, through the personal social services expenditure (PSS EX1) return.

Social Services: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Peterborough constituency were in receipt of local authority funded (a) domiciliary social care, (b) professional support, (c) day care and (d) short-term residential placements in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Information for the Peterborough constituency is not collected centrally.
	The NHS Information Centre collects and publishes information on the number of adults (aged 18 and over) in receipt of local authority funded community based services.
	The following table shows information for Peterborough council. We are informed by the Information Centre that data have been collected on a consistent basis between 2004-05 and 2009-10, but is not available for the years prior to this.
	
		
			 Numbers of people aged 18 and over in receipt of local authority funded services from Peterborough council by type of service, 2004-05 to 2009-10 
			  2004-05  (1) 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10  (2) 
			 All community based services(3) 5,405 4,920 5,010 5,800 4,935 5,340 
			        
			 Home care 1,455 1,640 1,850 2,645 2,190 2,035 
			 Day care 635 955 560 650 640 530 
			 Short term residential(4) 0 0 0 295 290 285 
			 Professional support 1,785 880 2,030 1,420 840 910 
			 (1 )In 2004-05 the guidance was restated so that only people receiving services following an assessment were recorded, and therefore information prior to this is not comparable. (2) In 2009-10 the way that service users who were receiving council commissioned services via a personal budget or direct payment changed and they were only included under the personal budget and/or existing direct payments column and not under the specific service received. (3) The total number of people receiving services is the number of people receiving one or more services in the year and therefore will not be the sum of the figures as double counting across service types may occur. The breakdown of services is provided for those stated in the question and is not a complete list of services provided. (4) Short term residential care is defined as the provision of short term residential care for the client for any purpose other than respite care of a carer. It includes the provision of rehabilitation services. In 2007-08 the guidance regarding the definitions of ‘short term residential—not respite’ was restated to ensure that respite was not included in this column, this may have impacted on the data for this category. Source: Referrals, Assessments and Packages of Care, form P2f

Southern Cross Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of (a) residents and (b) members of staff in Scotland who may be affected by any failure of Southern Cross to meet its financial obligations;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the financial situation of Southern Cross;
	(3)  what criteria he plans to adopt in determining whether the Government will intervene in the financial situation of Southern Cross;
	(4)  whether he plans to take steps to resolve the financial situation of Southern Cross;
	(5)  what contingency plans he has put in place to minimise disruption to residents and staff should Southern Cross enter administration.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the Scottish Assembly Government and I spoke to Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Scotland, on 14 June 2011, regarding this matter.
	No estimate has been made of the numbers of residents and members of staff of Southern Cross care homes who might be affected if the company could not meet its financial obligations.
	This is a sensitive issue, which is currently the subject of commercial negotiations. It would not be appropriate or helpful to speculate on what might happen. We consider this issue should be fully capable of resolution by the private sector and look to Southern Cross, its landlords and those with a stake in the business to put in place a plan to ensure the company is placed on a sound footing.
	We are ensuring, through our discussions with Southern Cross, landlords and the banks, that everyone involved understands their collective responsibility towards the residents.
	Nevertheless, all parties involved are ready to take decisive action if the current plans do not create a viable platform for the future. In England, we have been working closely with the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to ensure arrangements are in place in the event of any need.

Tobacco

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet tobacco manufacturers to discuss his Department's publication Healthy Lives, Healthy People: a Tobacco Control Plan for England; and if he will publish a note of the discussions at each such meeting.

Anne Milton: The Government takes very seriously the United Kingdom's obligations as a Party to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The FCTC places obligations on parties to protect the development of public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry. We have made our commitment to this very clear in Chapter 10 of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: a Tobacco Control Plan for England” our Tobacco Control Plan for England.
	A copy of the plan has already been placed in the Library.

Transplant Surgery

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the NHS Blood and Transplant Strategic Plan 2011-2014, what plans his Department has to integrate the commissioning and funding of retrieval and transplantation teams across the UK;
	(2)  what consideration his Department has given to the merits of including in provider contracts for NHS acute services a requirement for the provider to demonstrate a commitment to increasing organ donation;
	(3)  whether his Department plans to include organ donation in (a) the commissioning for quality and innovation payment framework and (b) quality accounts.

Anne Milton: The Department will make sure that measures to increase organ donation are appropriately incorporated into the new arrangements for the Department and the national health service as this is established.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Pete Wishart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to announce the outcome of the Diamond Jubilee city status competition.

Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 1 December 2010, Official Report, column 77WS.